


The Arrow's Flight

by ddelusionall



Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ, JYJ (Band), Super Junior
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Archery, Babies, Complicated Plans, F/M, Forests, Good versus Evil, Historical Inaccuracy, Incest, Kidnapping, Kings & Queens, M/M, Major Character Injury, Minor Character Death, Princes & Princesses, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rebellion, Robin Hood Inspired, Sibling Incest, Violence, i made EXO evil in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:02:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 16
Words: 40,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23807338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ddelusionall/pseuds/ddelusionall
Summary: Greed and corruption rule two neighboring kingdoms: The Kingdom of Mountains and the Kingdom of Trees. Two princes are planning a coup. Their success or failure depends on the shadow in the woods, the rogue of the forests, the arrow in the sky. Inspired by Robin Hood.
Relationships: Jung Yunho (DBSK)/Kim Heechul, Kim Jaejoong/Seo Joohyun | Seohyun, Kim Junho/Kim Taeyeon, Kim Junsu (JYJ)/Shim Changmin, Park Yoochun/Park Yoohwan





	1. The Shaft

**Author's Note:**

> I am importing my stories from LiveJournal. The original fic can be found [here](http://be-ddelusionall.livejournal.com/).
> 
> I haven't read this story in a long time, so I may have missed some tags. Just let me know if I did.

**The Shaft**  
_The shaft is the primary structure of an arrow. It is what the other parts of the arrow are attached to._

Changmin stood on the thick tree branch, legs spread for balance, bow pressed to the bark. He held a tree limb above his head, watching the plain carriage make its way through the woods.

From where he was at and the angle of the sun, his body (clad in brown patterned trousers and a green tunic) blended into the trees. His brown, soft-soled boots, kept him quiet. The knife in his boots and at his wrists and the bow and quiver of arrows on his back kept him deadly.

“Max?” someone whispered.

Changmin held out his hand and shook his head. “Not yet.”

The driver whipped the reins, glancing back and forth, looking for what his horses already sensed. Behind the carriage followed four guards on horseback. The metal armor and decor on the horses’ harnesses gave away the identity of the noble.

Changmin was disappointed. Though, the noble had been smart about traveling in a carriage less bold and colorful than the royal carriage. Changmin was going to have to keep trying to teach him.

“Detain the guards,” Changmin whispered and then he dropped to the ground. “Do not kill them.”

More than one of the men around him groaned, but they did as they were told. Changmin waited until the small skirmish was over. There were twenty of them and only six guards. One of his own took a sword to the arm. Painful, sure, but as ordered, he only knocked the guard to the ground and did not run him through afterwards.

Changmin walked up to the carriage door. The driver was held in the strong grip of Yoochun, one of Changmin’s most loyal friends.

“Search the baggage and take any gold you find,” Changmin said to Yoochun, and then rapped lightly on the door. “Your highness. Open up.”

The door opened, and a sword came through it first, barely missing Changmin’s neck. Okay, so there were seven guards. He reached into the door, grabbed the arm of the assailant and yanked him to the ground. The man scrambled to his feet, and Changmin rolled his eyes, waited until the guard took a step to him, and then used his bow to smack the guard across the face. The guard spun, wobbled and fell.

“Watch him.”

Changmin opened the door again and stepped up and into the carriage. He shut the door and sat on the soft, red velvet bench. The finery was not missing inside the carriage. Crossing his long legs, he put his hands behind his head and smiled. “Hello, your highness.”

Prince Junsu returned the smile. “Hello, Maurdering Max.”

“That is such a stupid nickname,” Changmin said as he fought the shiver. Junsu’s smile always brought down his defenses. He had a scar on his arm because of that smile from their first meeting outside of the palace walls.

Along with the plain carriage, the prince had also dressed down in nothing more than brown breeches and a gray tunic. Though, Changmin was sure that both were made of cloth much richer than anything he had.

“Changmin-ah. This gold is for the Kingdom of Trees.”

Changmin waved his hand in dismal. “Prince Jaejoong won’t mind and you know it. Would you like me to destroy your carriage and kill a few guards to show you were robbed?”

“Not necessary.” Junsu leaned forward. “You really need this?”

“You know it’s not for me.”

“You don’t have to steal our money to give to the people.”

“Steal is such a dirty word.” Changmin smirked. “I prefer, re-appropriate funds.”

Junsu leaned back with a huff. “We are trying. Jaejoong needs this money.”

“I know that. And I know that you are trying. Jaejoong is trying. But your fathers are taxing our people, your people, to poverty, and you know it. So for the next two months, I’m re-appropriating Jaejoong’s inheritance funds.”

“He needs it.”

“Your people need it more.”

Junsu sighed, hands fisted on his knees in frustration.

Changmin leaned forward this time. “Are you... Kim Junsu! You have to wait!”

“Sh,” Junsu begged. “I am not.”

“You are. By the Queen, you are ...”

“Do not swear by my mother,” Junsu said, eyes blazing.

Changmin rolled his eyes. “It’s just an expression.”

“Then express your outrage with someone else’s family!”

“That is not important right now, Junsu.”

Junsu continued to glare. “I have to. And soon.”

“I know, and my offer continues to stand,” Changmin said.

Junsu nodded. “I am aware.”

Changmin uncrossed his legs. “My business here is done. Are you sure I can’t kill a couple of your guards?”

“Don’t be absurd.”

Changmin smiled. “Well, then, until next time. You did well this time, Prince. Next time, tell your guards to dress down the cavalry.”

Junsu’s eyes widened in recognition. “Right.”

Changmin winked. He moved to climb out of the carriage, but a hand on his arm stopped him.

Junsu glared at him, a determined light in his eye.

Changmin lifted an eyebrow in question.

Junsu’s hand lifted to Changmin’s long hair and Changmin let him, to surprised to really move. He pulled, and Changmin followed the direction, down to his knees.

“You trust me way too much,” Junsu whispered.

“I know.”

“I have a dagger in my wrist that I should shove into your neck. There is a substantial price upon your head.”

“You should.”

Junsu sighed and leaned forward, pressing a firm kiss to Changmin’s lips. “I cannot ask you to fix a problem that is mine.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that this is a notice of what is to come. You will not be involved if I can help it, but be prepared.”

“I am always prepared.”

Junsu nodded and kissed him again, falling to his knees as well. Their mouths opened, tongues together, arms around waists. Changmin loved Junsu’s waist, his compact tight body, the way the muscles shifted under his clothes, behind armor. He was short, but lithe and strong. The only one who rivaled him with a bow and bested him constantly with a sword when they were younger.

He waited for the pain of a knife in his back.

“Be safe,” Junsu whispered.

Changmin smiled, head a little light. “You, too. Send Jaejoong my love.”

“He’ll send you to your grave when he finds out that you’ve stolen his gold.”

Changmin pressed one more kiss to his lips. “Tell him I let you keep the chests under the carriage.”

Junsu cursed.

Laughing, Changmin exited the carriage. “Yunho! Your arm, okay?”

“Just a flesh wound. I’ll be fine.”

“Good.”

Changmin went to his horse and mounted. “Prince Junsu!”

“What?”

“A token!” Changmin said and pulled back his bow. An arrow, one with the blue and green feathers of his clan, thunked into the side of the carriage.

Junsu shouted a curse word and his driver snapped the reigns.

Changmin laughed. He waited until the carriage and the guards were out of sight before turning to his men.

“Max,” Yoochun said in exasperation. “Come on.”

Changmin rolled his eyes. “Fine. Just kill two of them.”

Yoochun grinned and jerked his head. His brother Yoohwan followed him into the trees, their long ponytails trailing behind them in the wind.

“You’re going soft,” Yunho said beside him as they rode back toward their camp.

Changmin lifted an eyebrow at him. “Soft?”

“A year ago we would have destroyed that entire caravan and the noble sitting inside it.”

Changmin shrugged. “Why kill off a prince when they are killing each other off?”

Yunho shook his head in disbelief. “When has that mattered? Princes come and go as heirs to the throne change, but our goal has never wavered, not in ten years. The only thing that has changed is --”

“Your attitude?”

“No, yours. You have let Prince Junsu go more times than I care to count.”

“My attitude has not changed and neither has my goal. Prince Junsu is the key to achieving that goal. As is the gold that he often carries. And we steal that gold and give it back to the people. If Prince Junsu is going to be dumb enough to continue to travel with that much wealth, then I am going to relieve him of it as often as I can.”

“You are hiding something.”

Changmin did not reply.

“Trust is what holds us together.”

Changmin nodded. “Then trust me.”

Yunho snorted and surged forward on his horse. The cloak flared behind him, and sunlight glinted off his sword.

Changmin smiled, aware of the wondering gaze of the others around him, and continued on into the trees.

<[---------<<<

“Kim Junsu!”

Something soft slammed into his face.

Junsu shouted in surprise and spun around, glaring at the prince. He kicked the pillow on the ground and felt mildly bad when feathers exploded from it.

Jaejoong laughed as he leaned against the door jam, covering his mouth with his hand. He was dressed in dark green trousers and shirt with a brown belt and scabbard holding his sword. Light gleamed on the intricate guard of silver and green. The dying sunlight caught in his blond hair, turning the strands gold and orange.

“Daydreaming,” Jaejoong sang.

“I cannot help it.” Junsu wandered through the room, to the soft bed and fell with a huff, feet still on the floor. He heard Jaejoong move through the room and then fell on the other side of the bed.

“We need to move soon,” Jaejoong whispered.

Junsu nodded. “I alluded to Max that ...”

“Not safe, Su-yah.”

“I know. I just ... he makes me ... just so ...”

“Angry?”

“Yes.” Junsu growled. “So very angry.”

Jaejoong chuckled and reached above his head, finding Junsu’s hand. He gripped it tightly. “You’ll be together soon, if that is what you want.”

“We need his help. He has agreed to help us.”

“His way? Not our way?”

Junsu nodded. “It is dangerous for me to be here.”

“It is dangerous for anyone to be anywhere. That is the point. Dinner will be served in a half hour.”

Junsu sat up suddenly and rubbed his face. “I must be honest with you, JaeJae. Changmin is ... he ... we ... I ... I like him, a lot.”

Jaejoong chuckled again and walked across the room. “I already knew that, Su-yah. Like I said. You’ll be together soon, if that is what you want.”

Junsu huffed and fell back toward the bed. “Two months. We can plan in two months.”

“Yeah, two months.”

The door shut softly behind Jaejoong.

Junsu stood up and went back to the window. He leaned on the rough brick and stared out over the tops of the trees, the acres of forests, up through the hills and to the Kingdom of Mountains. Soon, it would be joined, no longer divided, a truce, with two nations but one people. The fighting between them would stop. The taxation of their people would end when there was no war to support. They would be allies.

And it all depended on the birth of Jaejoong’s child. Boy or girl. Heir or offspring.

Jaejoong needed a male heir before he could become king. A male heir and a substantial amount of gold. The kingdom was rich, but Jaejoong had to have his own wealth.

Junho had set up markets and shops within the Kingdom of Mountains. He had a steady stream of wealth, but Jaejoong did not. He needed more. If he did not acquire enough gold to be considered a prince in the Kingdom of Trees, then the title of Heir Apparent would go to Jaejoong’s cousin, the son of the current king’s brother. But he was only fifteen, not nearly old enough to be named heir. They had time even if Seohyun did not give birth to a son.

Junsu’s older brother Junho also had three sons already, a secure line for king. Jaejoong had a daughter. Junsu adored little Minzy. She had her father’s blond hair and green eyes, but her mother’s temperament and sense of adventure. He knew Jaejoong would have made Minzy heir if the others of their kingdom would recognize the claim.

Instead, Seohyun carried a second child.

If only there was a way to see if the child was a boy before it was born. Then again, he worried enough for her safety. If anyone in Junsu’s kingdom knew that Seohyun carried a boy, she would be taken, kidnapped, possibly killed. She was already in enough danger just being pregnant.

Two months.


	2. The Grip

**The Grip**   
_The grip is the middle part of the bow handle grasped by the archer for stabilization before shooting._

Junsu had fallen asleep. A necessity, though he tried to stay awake as long as possible. He was not in a safe place, though he was hidden in a little used room in Jaejoong’s part of the castle compound. But it was easier to sleep than to think of his guards that had not made it. Kyungsoo and Jongdae had been shot down as they rode. He mourned for them. His guards were his best friends and he trusted them. To lose two, and in such an underhanded way, hurt too much to bear and it was easier to sleep than to think that they would not have been killed without Changmin’s orders.

Still, there were enough people in the castle that wanted to kill him on sight, so he should have kept awake. He stayed in his rooms, ate the food that Jaejoong brought to him. He planned on leaving in the middle of the night, before dawn.

The door to his room slammed open and Junsu jerked alert, flinging a knife toward the door. It glanced off a shield and thudded into the wall. He had his sword drawn and took a step toward the intruders.

“Junsu, stop!” Jaejoong said.

Junsu blinked his eyes. A torch flared in the darkness, and then another was lit by his door. Jaejoong was there with all five of his personal guards.

Always sleep with your sword, Junho had warned him, and now he was grateful.

“Where have you been the last few hours?” one of the guards asked.

Junsu looked at Jaejoong in surprise and motioned around the room. “Here. Ask your guard who is outside of the door.”

Jaejoong smiled. “I told you.”

“He could have snuck out the window.”

“I did that one time!” Junsu said. “And I had a good reason! Pretty sure this one was chasing me.” He pointed at one of the guards.

Jaejoong held out his hand to silence his guard’s retort. “Seohyun has been kidnapped,” he whispered.

Junsu stared with wide eyes. “W-what? How?”

“These were left in her room.”

A guard threw down three arrows that had blue and green fletching. Changmin’s clan.

“No way, Jaejoong. There is no way--”

Jaejoong held out his hand. “I know that. No one in his rabble is sloppy enough.”

“How did this happen?” Junsu asked, and then choked. “Minzy! Is Minzy--”

“She’s fine and with her nurse. I checked on her first thing. It gets worse though. Your guards are missing. The five that you arrived with.”

“W-what? How ... what?”

Jaejoong frowned and nodded. “All of them are gone.”

“What do we do?” Junsu asked, trying to keep his knees from shaking, his heart from plummeting.

“They can’t have gotten far,” one of the guards said. “The body of her guard was found less than fifteen minutes ago, and he had just gotten on his shift two hours before that.”

Junsu started gathering up his things. “Give me Swift-Feet. I’ll either overtake them or find someone to help.”

“That is not--”

Junsu held up a hand. “You cannot come, Jaejoong,” he said. “You can’t. You have to stay here, where you are safe and surrounded by guards. They’re my responsibility. My ... my ... Either I will find them first, or Cha-- or our friend will.”

Jaejoong frowned. He looked over at one of the guards and nodded. “Take him to the stables. Seungri, you run ahead and get Swift-Feet ready to go.”

The guard bowed and took off down the hall.

“Daesung, run to the kitchens. Bread, apples, cheese.”

“Yes, sir!”

Junsu shook his head. “There is no time,” he said and accepted the knife that he had thrown. He put his bow and quiver over his back.

“My men are quick. You are probably hungry. Don’t be foolish.”

Junsu moved to him and hugged him tightly. “I’ll send word.”

“If I have not heard from you in three days--”

Junsu nodded. “In three days it will be too late. If you have heard nothing by morning, send out a search party.”

“As soon as this is made public, there will be war.”

Junsu grimaced. “There will be.”

“Be swift, my friend.”

“Like the wind through the trees,” Junsu returned. He pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and then left down the hall, following one of Jaejoong’s guard. He arrived in the stables just as the last pack was secured on the back of Jaejoong’s deep brown horse. He put a foot in the stirrup and lifted himself into the saddle. He had the horse turned around when the other guard arrived with one more bag, this one full of food.

Jaejoong’s men were indeed fast.

He took it gratefully, shouted out a thank you, and then galloped out of the stables, down the cobbled roads, over bridges and into the trees.

His guards would have taken Seohyun on the shortest route to the castle. Not the one he had purposefully taken for Changmin to rob him, but the one further north. He wondered how far and wide Changmin’s network of spies ran and figured that it stretched through the thickest parts of the trees.

He tried not to think of what happened if he was already too late. If Seohyun, and her child, were already dead.

He pushed Swift-Feet to his limits. He raced over the road, ducking under branches when the trail thinned too much. He did not slow. The princess was more important than his safety. He took shortcuts when he could, through streams and on side trails almost too rocky for even the best horse. But Swift-Feet was better than the best.

In three hours, he heard a scream. He stopped Swift-Feet abruptly and moved slowly. His heavy breathing echoed in the sudden quiet. A pinpoint of light bobbed nearby. A lantern? A candle? Something small.

How close were they? Junsu knew they were only tens of meters ahead of him. He let Swift-Feet move nearer until one of the guards shouted, “We’re being followed!”

It sounded like Luhan.

Junsu swallowed down sudden heartache. These were no longer his guards. No longer his trusted travel companions. Their treachery proved that the King of the Mountains knew that Junsu was going between the two Kingdoms in secret. It had been a plot, a way to get into the Kingdom of the Trees and kidnap the possible heir to the throne.

For what purpose? To start yet another war, probably. Wars were profitably for the crown, but not profitable for the poor villagers who had to pay even higher taxes.

He dismounted from Swift-Feet and crept towards their camp. The five of them had stopped. Junsu could barely see. But barely was better than not at all.

He removed his bow and an arrow. He nocked the arrow and pulled back on the string. A tear dripped down his cheek as he let the arrow fly with a sharp twang of the string. The guard did not move quickly enough. But Junsu did, and he took out another one before the first had hit the ground.

“Stop! Or I will slit her throat.”

Again, Luhan.

Junsu froze with another arrow nocked.

“Good choice, Junsu,” Luhan said and laughed.

Guessing. Just guessing. But he was right. Luhan was always right. It could have been someone else, but this trail was farther north than Changmin’s band usually traveled. Most of the travelers were on horseback because of the terrain. The heavy laden carriages went the other way, so Changmin guarded that route more.

That did not mean that Changmin did not have spies this far north.

Hell, Junsu had no idea where Changmin’s main hideout was. It could be around the next bend or over a tree-covered hill.

He hoped it was close. There were three more of them, and he had to keep them away from the princess. It was possible. But it’d be way easier if he had some help.

_You hear that, Captain Shim Changmin. Come and help me._

Junsu put his bow and quiver of arrows down against a tree. He walked forward, toward the party, and unsheathed his sword. He kept it loose at his side, ears primed for the sound of an arrow in the air. His guards were not good shots but did very well with their swords. Junsu had sparred with them often during practice.

As soon as he was close enough for the others to see, he stopped. The small light was from a torch, held aloft by Suho.

Luhan, Suho, and Sehun.

Junsu gulped. He’d much rather taken out Sehun with an arrow. It was a horrible thought and gut-wrenching to remember that he had already killed Minseok and Chanyeol, two of his friends, but Sehun was a real weapon with his sword. Junsu rarely ever beat him during sparring matches.

The three of them smiled. Not nice smiles, and Junsu again had to push away the heartache. They had been his friends. Very good friends. He thought of asking questions, get them talking, but he did not want his shaking voice to betray the turmoil in his heart. He could keep his face blank. He could not keep his voice void of emotion.

They climbed off their horses. Seohyun hung stomach-down over the back of Luhan’s horse. Junsu prayed that the position had not hurt the baby. She was not conscious that he could tell, though she had screamed earlier.

Light reflected off a sword and Junsu lifted his own to deflect the blow. He spun it by the hilt, pushed away another attack and shoved one of his own into Luhan. Luhan blocked it and Junsu had to spin away from a slice at his leg by Sehun. He had no time to think. Just react. Deflect. Move. Pain blossomed on his arm. He pushed it away.

Even if he died, he hopefully was giving Changmin enough time to catch up to them later and save Seohyun.

<|---------<<<

Changmin woke up to a sharp smack on his face. Damn the trees, he had been sleeping! He rarely slept.

“Get up,” Yunho said and went to smack him again.

Changmin rolled out of his hammock the other way. As soon as his feet hit the ground he was alert, bow in his hand. It was dark. Too dark to be awake when he was not out on patrol or on watch. “What is it?”

“Travelers, about a kilometer north, going fast and noisily through the forest.”

Changmin snapped his fingers. “What else? The important part.”

“It’s the guards we let live the other day, the ones with the prince.”

“And?”

“The prince is not with them, but someone is. Someone who is very pregnant and not exactly going willingly.”

Changmin’s eyes widened. “You’re certain?”

Yunho lifted an eyebrow.

“You can tell me I told you so later. She is alive?”

“She was less than an hour ago.”

“Come on.”

Changmin checked his weapons, noted that everything was where it should be and then took off running. Yunho flanked him. A moment later, Yoochun and Yoohwan were there. They ran as fast as they dared without making noise, going further north through the trees.

“They’re on the northern road,” Yunho said.

Good and bad, Changmin knew. It was the shortest official route between the kingdoms, but also one of the hardest to travel with anything that had wheels. Even traveling swiftly from one castle to the other, nonstop and with the best horse, meant an entire day’s journey.

The four of them would be there in no time.

How those guards managed to kidnap the princess from her own castle and actually leave the grounds was something for Jaejoong to worry about.

Changmin had to worry about getting her back before anyone else knew she was missing. Did they already know she was missing? If they did, there would be more than just a few guards in the woods right now. There were no soldiers from the Kingdom of the Trees searching for her. Not yet. It meant Changmin had time.

A plot ... but why? How? Who was involved?

Junsu?

No, there was no way. Junsu risked his life every day being the liaison between Junho and Jaejoong. Both princes wanted peace. They all wanted peace. Was Junsu devious enough to fake such sincerity and steal the princess from her own bed?

Changmin doubted it. He trusted Junsu. And the Twin Princes had trusted him long before he left the palace.

But was Junho planning something covert? Did Junho tout peace but secretly want the kingdom to himself? Enough to kidnap the princess and the unborn child?

Changmin did not know. He had only seen Junho from afar for the last fifteen years. A man changed drastically in that amount of time.

But Junsu had promised support from his brother. He was his brother’s words and actions. And Changmin trusted Junsu, more than he had ever trusted anyone else.

The sky to the east turned a lighter shade of black, almost gray, deepening the shadows. Everything was so still during this hour as the night creatures retreated back to their homes and day creatures woke up.

Changmin heard the scuffle long before he saw them. Shouts, warnings, and then metal. Swords clashing. How many? Three swords, perhaps four. Were they fighting with themselves? He hoped so. He did not want to think of the alternative. But an uneasy feeling settled in his gut, and he just knew that one of those swords belonged to Junsu.

Changmin motioned the brothers ahead and to the other side. They ran for longer than normal, giving up stealth for speed, the sounds of the fight masking their footsteps. A shout of pain, and the sword noises stopped for a moment.

Changmin saw their shadows in the moonlight, still moving too much, too fast. He did not dare slow down and pushed ahead of Yunho. A fire flared in the darkness. A torch knocked over, and Changmin stopped in his tracks, almost skidding on the soft dirt. There were three men fighting, two on the ground with arrows in their heads, and one struggling to move with his arm mostly off, blood spraying around them.

Junsu.

His Junsu, arm bloodied and body weak, but still fighting against two men. Two of his own guards. Given a bit of luck, Junsu would survive the battle, but Changmin did not believe in random luck. Changmin made his own luck. And provided it when he was able.

Changmin lifted his bow and released an arrow that thunked through the face of one man. Yunho’s arrow took out the other’s throat, and then Yoochun and Yoohwan were in the firelight. Yoohwan moved from man to man and slit their throats.

Junsu collapsed into Yoochun just as Changmin ran up to them. “Took you ... long ... enough.”

Junsu fainted.

Changmin did not like the look of either wound: Junsu had one in his arm and one on his side.

Yunho was tending to Seohyun, removing the knots of rope on her wrists and ankles. And the dirty gag out of her mouth.

“Max,” Seohyun said in relief. Yunho offered her water that she sipped gratefully. “My hero.”

“It was Junsu that saved you. Let’s get off this road, as quickly as possible.”

“The bodies?” Yoochun said.

Changmin jerked his head to the flames that spread into the grass. “Burn them. Bury the bones. We have to get the princess to safety.”

“Safety? With you, rogue?” she said with a grin.

“Better me than Mountain Palace guards, your highness.”

She laughed. “So true. I am too weak to ride.”

“Yunho will ride with you. I’ll hold on to Junsu.”

“Where are we going?” Yunho asked.

“Home,” Changmin said. “I must ask that you be blindfolded, my lady.”

Seohyun laughed again. “Of course, Rogue Prince.”

“I was never a prince and you know it.”

“Then you are king to those you lead.”

“And that is treason.” Changmin vaulted onto the back of one of the horses and steadied her before Yunho handed Junsu up to him. “Let’s go! Yoochun! Before you return, send Swift-Feet back to his home with a note on its saddle.”

“All is well?” Yoochun asked.

Changmin smiled. “For now!”


	3. The Anchor

**The Anchor**   
_The anchor is any specific point on the body used as a location to anchor the archer's hand at full draw. The bow is drawn to that same location every time for consistency._

Jaejoong paced his sitting room. Back and forth. Back and forth. He worried at his finger, chewing on the nail and then on the cuticle. He took heavy breaths to keep from screaming in frustration.

Seunghyun and Jiyong stared at him in amusement from the door.

He had not been allowed to do any interrogating of who may have seen the princess leave. Or who had not been at their posts and allowed them to leave.

Fortunately, his guards were discreet with their questions. They knew how to ask questions without there being any clue as to why they were asking. He knew that no one but the six of them knew of Seohyun’s plight. But he still worried. For his friend, for his wife, for his child.

Daesung brought him food, that he had prepared himself, so Jaejoong had no worries lifting the spoonfuls of porridge and fruit to his mouth. The food did not settle, but as Daesung said so many times, it does not help to starve yourself, weaken yourself, when you need to be strong.

He needed that child desperately. He needed a male heir. He needed to start his plans in dethroning his father. They were already laid out, ready to go. The five guards around him had agreed. Junho and Junsu had agreed. Or so Junsu said. Someone did not. Someone that knew that Junsu traveled to the Kingdom of the Trees.

Jaejoong sat for a moment, rubbed his face and felt the wrinkles forming from stress. He was too young to be this stressed out. Dawn light brightened the arched windows of Jaejoong’s sitting room. He moved there and leaned against the brick ledge. He watched the sun rise, bathing the clouds in orange and gold light.

“Your highness,” Taeyang said from the doorway.

Jaejoong spun.

“Swift-Feet returned home. No rider.” He held out a piece of parchment.

Jaejoong stalked over to him and snapped the parchment from his hand. The scrawl was messy, but one he recognized.

_All is well._

In the bottom corner was a sketch of a falling feather.

Jaejoong sighed in relief. He looked up at his guards. “We will make an announcement today, that someone attempted to assassinate the princess and she has been moved for her safety and the safety of our child.”

Seunghyun moved to the writing desk. He dipped a quill into ink and then began writing.

“She must give birth here,” Jiyong reminded him.

Jaejoong nodded. “She will be safe for now, and then we will bring her back under strict secrecy.”

“We were able to determine that she was taken only by those who came with Junsu,” Daesung said. “They overtook her guard in the night and knocked her out. Two of them carried her in a burlap sack that only looked like a bag of potatoes to the kitchen and stable staff.”

“That’s good to know.” Jaejoong took a deep breath to relax. “I mean, just that no one here knew that Junsu was here.”

“You should rest, your highness,” Seungri said. “We’ll keep watch.”

Jaejoong nodded. He knew they were right. He had to sleep, relax, and make it seem like his stress was not caused by his wife being gone. Pretend that it was his idea to have her moved.

“I’ll sleep for an hour or so,” Jaejoong said. “And then a bath.”

“I will wake you,” Seunghyun said.

“Thank you.”

<|---------<<<

Changmin paced along the walkway outside of his hut in the trees. Siwon had been working on Junsu’s wounds for hours now, and his wife, Yoona, had checked Seohyun and the unborn child. Both had passed her inspection and had been moved to Yuri’s quarters, the only one in their clan currently with child.

And not Changmin’s child despite what the rumors said.

He knew better than that. With a lover like Sungmin and his deadly martial arts abilities, approaching Yuri usually meant pain.

And Changmin’s affections were currently on and only on the man laying cut open upon his bed. Though that was very much a secret.

Changmin was on his way through another circuit of the walkway when Siwon exited through a door, wiping blood from his hands.

Changmin hurried over to him, practically running through the beams of morning sunlight breaking through the trees.

“He’s alive,” Siwon said, “but unconscious. I do not know when he will wake up or if he will. He has lost a lot of blood. He is not to be moved, and I will show you how to change his bandages. They need to be changed every few hours. And watch for infection. That can kill him before we managed to get medicine to stop it. I’ve sent Leeteuk to the Mountain Palace to warn his brother, and Donghae and Eunhyuk are going to the nearest village for medicine.”

Changmin nodded. “Okay. Can I go in?”

“Yes, and sleep while you’re in there. We need you alert.”

“I will. You, too.”

Siwon nodded. “I will have Yoona wake me in just an hour to check on him again. Send someone if his condition worsens.”

Changmin hugged him tightly and suddenly. “Thank you.”

Siwon smiled. “It’s what I do. Now, go.”

Changmin hurried to the door. He stepped into the dim room and let his eyes adjust to the weak light coming through the heavy drapes on the windows. He moved toward his bed and was careful not to touch anything as he kneeled on the wooden floor.

Junsu was ashen, skin too pale. But he was breathing, and Changmin saw the pulse of his heartbeat in his neck. It was slow, but strong.

Changmin leaned over the bed and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Wake up soon, love,” he whispered. “I need you.”

<|---------<<<

Heechul peered into their captain’s room, letting himself smirk at the silly, lovestruck archer. He supposed it was sweet in some way, but gods, it made their lives difficult. He left his perch, only partially certain he had not been seen. Max was the best. Max probably knew he had been there.

He slipped along the walkways wondering what this meant for their clan of misfits and outlaws. Max was in love with a prince. At least it was not the Heir Apparent. That would have caused a lot more troubles.

With a huff, he gripped a heavy rope and swung over to the platform near his quarters. Landing softly, he continued walking as if the moment in the air was nothing more than just another step. He slipped into his room and shut the door behind him. With the curtains drawn and the door shut, the room was dim. But there was enough light to see the occupant in his bed.

“You were right,” Heechul said as he went to the bed.

Yunho shrugged. “Of course I was.”

Heechul chuckled. “Cocky,” he said and licked his lips.

Yunho laughed.

Heechul sat on the edge of the bed and unlaced his boots. “When do you have to be on watch?”

“Not until noon.”

“Good.” The boots thunked to the floor. The tight leggings followed them. “My watch starts in an hour. One hour, Jung Yunho.”

Yunho smirked and held out his arms. “One hour is long enough for at least two orgasms, or just one, teased and drawn out with my mouth and fingers. Which do you prefer?”

Heechul pulled his tunic over his head and removed the hidden knife sheaths from his wrists. “I prefer a lover that isn’t a sarcastic wench.”

“Me, too, but here we are.”

“I am going to ignore that.”

“Won’t make it any less true. Now get over here and let me touch you.”

“I have a lot of questions about what Max is up to,” Heechul said, a hand on his own cock, stroking slowly.

“So do I, but we’re not going to get any answers out of him until he’s good and ready. He’s too emotionally invested in Junsu surviving right now.”

“Maybe that is a good time to question him. When his defenses are down?”

“Max’s defenses are never down,” Yunho said, “but we can do that instead. It seems like you’d prefer to go talk to him and ask him questions than to let me get my hands on you.”

Heechul laughed. “Never, love.”

“Then get over here. We’ll confront our leader after I have had three fingers buried inside you and sucked your orgasm down my throat.”

Heechul moaned and finally sank back to the bed, letting Yunho manhandle his naked body up and over his own for firm, deep kisses.

<|---------<<<

Changmin slept through the next night and into the next morning. He woke up disorientated and sore from being on the floor of his bedroom. Someone had draped a blanket over his lap.

Siwon bent over the bed, checking Junsu’s wounds. “He is better,” Siwon said. “And so are you. You no longer look like you’re about to pass out.”

Changmin grumbled and rubbed his face. He sat up and then stood up. He stretched out the kinks in his back, bent over with hands on the floor and then continued through a series of stretches and movements, ones his father taught him, to keep him loose and limber for attacks and battles.

_A warrior needs strength and power in his body, but he also needs calm, logic, and control._

Changmin lived by those words from his father.

“Go eat,” Siwon said. “I’m going to replace his bandages and change the bedding. He needs to sleep in something not soaked through with his own blood and piss.”

“Gross,” Changmin said.

Siwon shrugged. “It happens when you’re unconscious.”

Yoona walked in with a pile of fresh bedding.

Changmin smiled and bowed over her hand, kissing the knuckles. “My lady.”

As always, Yoona rolled her eyes. “Good morning.”

“How is Seohyun?”

“Sleeping at the moment. The baby is doing just fine that I can tell. It is still moving and kicking, which means it is still alive and still breathing.”

“That is very good to hear.”

“Yuri was wondering if we were going to need her to be a wet nurse?”

Changmin shook his head. “The baby has to be born in the Trees Palace or it will lose its title of heir. But yes, just in case the baby comes early.”

“Emergency nipples.”

“Scandalous,” Siwon muttered.

Changmin laughed. “Go help your husband. I need some food.”

“I’m not supposed to warn you that Heechul and Yunho are planning to ambush you with questions,” Siwon said.

Changmin shrugged. “I probably won’t answer them.”

“I am going to suggest that you do,” Siwon said. “We have a princess of one kingdom in our hideout and you are consorting with the prince of another. These men respect you, but not because you are a noble. In spite of that actually.”

“I am no longer a noble.”

Siwon lifted an eyebrow at him and crossed his arms. “They respect the life you have built for them, and they do not understand the end goal, and they will not agree to it. They are rabble rousers, outlaws, and their own free men here.”

“You understand the goal?” Changmin said.

“I can guess,” Siwon clarified. “Anything that will change the way your men live will come with great protest.”

Changmin nodded. “I do know that.”

“Do you care?”

Changmin stopped by the door and sighed. “Too much, I think.” He left the room and headed down the platforms and stairs toward the ground. Normally he would take a rope, but he’d been mostly dead to the world for the majority of the day, and he wanted to check on things. Not that he thought their small village would fall apart without him, but it was always nice to know that he’d taught everyone well.

Those that saw him waved and said hello. A few of the older women tried to brush at dirt on his tunic, though Yuri had assured him that it was just an excuse to touch his body. He let them. At the bakers, he sat on a stool and ate a loaf of bread dipped in some porridge. on his way around the small town, he stopped at the butcher shop and was given a strip of dried venison. He ate it on his way back to the treehouses. He stopped at Siwon and Yoona’s and looked in on Seohyun. She was awake and eating.

“Kid is ravenous,” she said, patting her belly.

Changmin chuckled. “I’m glad you’re doing okay. We’ll probably keep you here for about a month and then send you home. Do you think the baby will come any sooner than that?”

“It shouldn’t.”

“Your husband knows you’re safe.”

“Do you know anything about Minzy?”

Changmin frowned. “I don’t. But Junsu might. We’ll have to wait until he wakes up.”

“He fought so well,” Seohyun said. “He is amazing with a sword.”

“How long did he fight before I got there?”

“Almost a half hour, against three of them. I did not see any of it, but they all kept cursing.”

Changmin smiled.

“You better hide those smiles before people start believing in love.”

Changmin shook his head. “I think it’s too late for that. I’m to be questioned by my men some time today.”

“The truth is better than lies.”

“But also deadlier.”

“What are you going to do?”

“It depends on their questions. I may have to wing it.”

“Be careful. I have a feeling you’re the only reason I’m still here and safe.”

Changmin smiled. “Not just me, but you have the right to be worried. I’ll set someone to watch you at all times.”

“Siwon already said he did.”

Changmin laughed. “Then it’s Ryeowook. He’s so quiet. He could shove a knife in my back and I’d die wondering how I managed to fall onto my own knife.”


	4. The Limbs

**The Limbs**   
_The limbs are the two wooden parts of bow extending from the Riser to the tips._   


Junho paced a heavy circuit around his room. All the drapes were closed, cutting off the sunlight from the setting sun. Only two torches dispelled part of the gloom. There were two guards outside his door and two guards inside his door. They waited as day faded to evening.

Jaejoong needed to do something! The Kingdom of Trees held such impossible standards for the Heir Apparent. While they were mostly the same as the Kingdom of Mountains, it was harder to attain.

A wife, an heir, those were not nearly as difficult as building wealth. Junho had set up a marketplace. It thrived with goods and possessions, even in these times of heavy taxes.

But Jaejoong was not allowed. Business and trading were for merchants, not royalty. The only way Jaejoong could get gold was to steal it from the people. But Jaejoong refused. Even as the King of Trees pressed even more taxes upon the people, the tax called the Prince’s Tax remained at the same low amount as it always had. There was no way Jaejoong could get enough money to be heir that way.

Hence, Junho ... and Junsu.

Junho sat heavily in a chair and ran his hands through his hair. His brother had been gone for four days. It would be at least two more before he returned. If he returned. There were too many factors. They did their best to stay hidden, but all it took was one person telling their secret.

He glanced up at Minho and Key, doing their jobs, guarding him. He knew Onew and Taemin were on the other side of the door. He knew they were.

But were they?

It only took one person.

And what about Jonghyun out on an information run? Is that really what he was doing? Or was he spilling their tales to the king?

Junho growled and stood up, pacing back and forth. He trusted his guards. They’d been with him for far too long not to trust them. But what about Junsu’s guards? They’d been with Junsu just as long as Junho’s guards had been with him.

But could they be trusted?

Junho never interacted with them, never had the need to. But if his own guards thought even for a moment that Junsu’s were unfaithful, then they would say something to him.

Unless they were in on it too.

Junho wanted to throw something. He was seeing traitors everywhere as their plot dragged on.

The sun set behind the heavy curtains. Minho lit another torch. Neither told Junho to sleep. He needed to, but every time his eyes shut he saw his brother’s body: captured, tortured, killed.

The door opened, and Junho jerked alert, breath heaving, and to his feet. He only relaxed when he saw that it was Taeyeon. Her dark hair was loose, held back only by a thin metal circlet. She wore the barest of nightshirts, cream colored and loose, and only a pair of slippers. She had their newest infant in her arms.

“You walked here wearing that!” Junho protested.

His wife, his princess, his love just laughed at him. “It’s too early in the morning for anyone sane to be awake. You need to sleep, JjunJjunnie.”

Junho rubbed his face in his hands again. “I can’t.”

“That is because you have not tried.” She turned and gave Minho and Key a pointed look, and then shifted the baby in her arms, took Junho’s arm with a firm hand, and led him through the sitting room and into the bedroom.

Junho was almost a foot taller than his wife, stronger, and no less stubborn. But he let himself be led. She stopped only long enough to place little Hyungjoon into the crib in his room, and then continued toward the bed. Junho did not protest when deft fingers unlaced his trousers, and warm hands slid up his chest to remove his tunic.

He shivered when a mouth followed fingers, and then finally put his hands on Taeyeon’s shoulders. “You cannot. You still are not well, the doctor said.”

Taeyeon laughed. “Silly husband,” she said and pushed him to the bed. “There is nothing wrong with my mouth.”

Junho groaned, and as with most things, let his wife do what she wished.

And what he wished. Taeyeon was so very good with her mouth. And he’d been more nervous than she on their first night together, after the craziness of their wedding week. She had taken care of him, she had always taken care of him, and Junho knew that he would never be a good king without a perfect queen by his side. Taeyeon was his perfect queen. Such a pretty queen with such a pretty mouth.

“Such a pretty mouth,” Junho gasped. “Perfect mouth.”

Taeyeon laughed and crawled up on the bed, straddling his knees. “You just like what it can do to you.”

“Yes, so much.”

“That’s three you owe me for when I’m feeling better.”

Junho nodded, eyes hooded, body relaxing after its pleasure.

Taeyeon pressed a kiss to his lips but he was too far gone to return it.

The haze and exhaustion dissipated at the sudden knock on his door.

“Damn them,” Taeyeon said. “You were almost asleep.”

Junho smiled and stood up. “It was a good try. A very very good try.” He leaned over and kissed her lips.

Taeyeon smiled and curled up on the end of his bed.

Junho straightened his breeches on the way to the door. It was one of his guards with standing orders not to bother him when he was with Taeyeon unless it was an emergency. So he knew it was an emergency. But the smile on his face threatened to get larger, not smaller as he opened the door.

It was Minho. He said nothing but handed him a scroll, the seal still intact.

Junho lifted an eyebrow.

Minho cleared his throat. “It was delivered by Leeteuk.”

Junho’s eyes widened. “Is he still here?”

“No. He handed that to Jonghyun on the street and disappeared.”

Junho ripped through the wax pressed with a feather seal. The scroll scratched in the silence as he unrolled it. He did not recognize the handwriting, but it was neat and precise. Obviously written by someone educated.

_The messenger is safe, but delayed. Her ladyship is also in our care after a long journey._

Junho flipped the parchment over, but that was it. Two sentences.

Delayed? Junsu was delayed? Why? And her ladyship? The Princess? Jaejoong’s wife? Why was she with them?

Junho rubbed his face with his hand and groaned. What did this mean? He felt the parchment slip from his fingers, and Taeyeon curled her arm around his waist.

“Delayed?” she whispered. “What does that mean?”

“I have no idea. Taemin!”

The guard was there in a moment, brown hair tied up and away from his face. He bowed.

“Go to the trees,” Junho said and moved around Minho. He went to a chest and opened a drawer. Removing a small necklace, he turned and held it out. “This will keep you safe.” Light glinted off the feather etched into the metal medallion.

Taemin took the necklace with another bow.

“I need answers. Not cryptic sentences.”

Taemin nodded. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Junho nodded and then hugged him tightly. He heard a few of the other guards chuckle. “Be safe.”

<|---------<<<

Changmin walked into his treehouse and then attempted to exit immediately, but the door shut behind him, and he was shoved forward by the hilt of a sword. Yunho’s sword. He was lucky it was the hilt and not the blade.

Yoochun and Yoohwan stood on either side of his bed.

Changmin checked and saw that Junsu was still alive, still breathing, still passed out.

Also in the room were Kangin, Hangeng, and Heechul, standing around the space with their arms crossed. Only Yunho had his weapon out. That meant they weren’t going to kill him. Not right away anyway.

“All right, Max,” Heechul said, and Changmin was not surprised that he was going to be in charge of this interrogation. “Talk.”

“About what?”

“Lots of things. But first, why don’t you explain why we have two nobles from warring kingdoms in our stronghold?”

Changmin winced and then mentally cursed because Heechul’s face morphed into a victorious smirk and the Park brothers’ questioning looks turned to glares.

He took a deep breath and schooled his face. “My name is Shim Changmin. My father was--”

“Shim Changho,” Yoochun said and his knife came out of its sheath, and then slammed against the longer blade of Yoohwan’s short sword. The two blades were inches from Junsu’s throat.

The brothers glared at each other, but whatever they were saying with their eyes, no one else knew. Yoohwan eventually won the stare down, and Yoochun moved his knife first, and then Yoohwan did. Neither put their blades away.

Yoochun pointed his knife at Changmin. “You are a callous--”

Heechul held out his hand. “Name calling after we get the entire story, yes?”

Yoochun glared.

Changmin understood. He’d heard more than once how his father had been in charge of the soldiers that had destroyed the village the Park brothers were from, and in the process killing their parents.

“Who is Shim Changho?” Kangin asked.

“The commander of the army for the Kingdom of the Mountains,” Yunho replied. “Fuck, I knew you looked familiar.”

Changmin smirked and shrugged.

“So you’re a noble? An actual noble?”

“Technically? No. My father was publicly beheaded for treason. I lost my noble status after that.”

“Technicalities,” Heechul said with a wave of his hand. “Once a noble ... you’re all a breed apart.”

“What did your father do?” Hangeng asked. “To be charged for treason?”

“Nothing worth being beheaded for,” Changmin answered. “He protested the king sending our army into the trees. The last offensive the Kingdom of the Mountains sent had failed, and a lot of the army was slaughtered. He did not want to lose anymore men and he publicly protested and told the king he was being stupid.”

Changmin knew that most of those here remembered that battle. They had all been children, but Heechul lost his father in that battle and had to resort to prostitution to help feed his mother and sister. Yunho lost his entire family. Changmin was not sure about the other two.

“And you?” Heechul said. “How did you come to live in the woods?”

Changmin sighed. “My father had been preparing me to be a soldier. He taught me to fight and was teaching me combat, swordsmanship, archery. But he was also teaching me peace and politics, how to be in charge without being a killing machine. I was going to be a soldier soon, and then commander, the general of the king’s army, if I worked hard enough. The prince,” he nodded at the bed, “came and warned me that I was going to be killed for having treasonous thoughts. It was only two days after my father had been executed, so I ran with nothing more than a bow on my back and a knife at my hip. I was thirteen.”

“And, what? What now?” Yoochun demanded, his knife waving dangerously close to Junsu’s head again.

Changmin glanced down at him. “The first time we overtook Junsu with his guards, I did not know it was him or what his purpose was until after I opened the carriage door and out popped a prince.”

“I actually remember the look of shock on your face,” Yunho said. “It was the first time you had ever lost focus enough to be injured.”

Changmin nodded. “And I knew I couldn’t kill him. He saved my life. I owed him, so I let him go.”

“And then the next time and the next time, and the one after that,” Yoochun said and rolled his eyes.

Changmin nodded. “There was no way the prince would be traveling through the woods toward the Trees Kingdom without some good reason. So, on his way back to the Kingdom of Mountains, I slipped into their camp, into the carriage and had a talk with him. He told me about the corruption in the kingdom, that I already knew about, but he said that his older brother and Kim Jaejoong were going to bring peace and stop the fighting and the stalemate, but they need to be kings first.”

“By the trees,” Kangin said. “They’re planning to assassinate the kings!”

Heechul hissed. “Lower your voice.”

“Yes, they are, but Jaejoong cannot be the heir or the king until he has a male child and enough gold to claim the title. Junho has his marketplace set up in the Mountains, but Jaejoong has nothing like that and can only get money through the taxing of his people, which he does not want to do, so Junsu brings him Junho’s surplus. And the princess is here because Junsu’s guards betrayed him and kidnapped her, probably to keep her child from being born in the palace, thus removing its claim as heir if it’s a boy.”

“And the goo-goo eyes and kissy faces and the way hearts dance around your head whenever you see Junsu?” Heechul prompted.

Changmin winced again. “I didn’t mean for that to happen at all, but I promise we only see each other when he’s traveling to the Trees Kingdom. I’m not stupid enough to go into the Mountain Kingdom just for ...”

“Sex?” Heechul said.

“We haven’t ... not that it is any of your business, but there hasn’t been time or an opportunity.”

Heechul smirked. “There is always time, and one day in that boy’s carriage is going to be your opportunity.”

“So what is the point?” Hangeng said. “You’re helping them, obviously, but why?”

“Yes, the end goal,” Yunho said. “What is that?”

“The reason why I shouldn’t slit his princely throat right here,” Yoochun growled, lowering his knife toward Junsu’s throat again.

Yoohwan did not stop him.

Changmin swallowed. The sharp edge was too close to Junsu’s neck for comfort. But Yoochun was fast enough that there was no way Changmin could stop him. And Yoohwan would aim for whom was aiming for his brother.

“The end goal has always been the same,” Changmin finally said. “Help the people. We do this because the nobles and the kings are corrupt. It is their goal and my goal to help the people of both kingdoms. It always has been. Their goal is more permanent. With Junho and Jaejoong on the throne, the wars will end, taxes will be lowered, and people can actually work and prosper.”

“And what about us?” Yoochun sneered. “Are we to be pardoned for our crimes? Are the prices on our heads just going to disappear? When you have the prince you want, will you abandon us here?”

Changmin shook his head. “I was not planning on it. Just because two princes, one I have never met and the other I have not seen for fifteen years, say that they are going to be just and noble doesn’t mean they will. And if they don’t spread money to the people quickly enough, then I’ll be doing the exact same thing I am now. It has always been about the people.”

“And your prince? What is he planning on doing?” Yoochun said, holding his knife above Junsu’s neck.

Changmin shrugged. “Why don’t you wait until he wakes up and ask him yourself?”

Heechul snorted, and even Yoohwan smiled a bit. A rare occurrence for the younger man.

Yoochun huffed and flipped his knife, the hilt smacking into his palm. “It’s not worth it. You’ll just have me get you a new mattress.”

Yoochun stalked out of the room, followed by Yoohwan.

Yoohwan paused only long enough to say, “I’ll talk to him,” like that was supposed to make Changmin feel better. It did, he supposed. Yoohwan was the only one Yoochun listened to, but Yoochun was capable of changing his brother’s mind.

Kangin followed the brothers, growling under his breath. Changmin considered himself lucky that the man hadn’t punched him on his way by.

Heechul waltzed after them, placing a kiss on Changmin’s cheek. “You’re adorable when you’re in love, Max.”

Changmin rolled his eyes.

He snagged Yunho’s arm on the way out and pulled his lover with him.

Leaving just Hangeng. He regarded Changmin carefully before saying, “You give your word. We will not be uprooted from here?”

Changmin knew very little about Hangeng. He had his suspicions that Hangeng was from a completely different kingdom and had been out and traveling a long time before joining them almost seven years ago.

Changmin thought about that for a moment and then nodded. It was something he could promise. Or at least he hoped he could promise it. They were still well hidden here. They were still safe from the searches of either king.

Hangeng nodded and said, “If anything does happen, I will slit your throat.”

Changmin smiled. “I think Yoochun will do it first.”

Hangeng walked by him and whispered, “He will wait until you are awake. I will do it when you are asleep.”

Changmin believed him.


	5. The Fletching

**The Fletching**  
_The fletching are the feathers used to guide an arrow in flight._  
**This chapter contains a tiny bit of incest.**

“I do not like this,” Yoochun growled, pacing on the bank of a secluded bend in a river.

Yoohwan was in the river, floating on his back, pale skin patchworked with the shadows from the sunlight through the leaves.

“I know you don’t,” Yoohwan replied. “I also know that if you had known who Max is, you would not have joined up with him.”

Yoochun stopped at stared at his brother. His eyes widened. “You knew?”

“I suspected, but--”

“You traitorous beast! Why did you not say--”

“Traitorous?” Yoohwan said and stood up suddenly in the water. He walked up onto the bank, and Yoochun could not help the quick glance at the water on his skin.

Yoohwan laughed. “Not traitorous at all. Yes, I am aware of the commander ordering his troops into our village. But it was not him who killed our parents. And it definitely was not Max who was younger than you at the time!”

“Stop making sense,” Yoochun mumbled.

Yoohwan chuckled and put his wet arms around Yoochun’s shoulder, an ankle hooked at his knee. “Stop being so dramatic. Don’t take this away from me.”

“This? What this?”

Yoohwan lifted his head and smiled. A beam of light perfectly hit his face and Yoochun lost his breath for a moment at the peaceful smile on his face. He shut his eyes and wrapped his arms around Yoohwan’s waist, burying his face in his neck. The coolness of his wet hair and skin, and the soft touch under his tunic had Yoochun shivering.

“This,” Yoohwan whispered. “Moments, hours, freedom. With you. Away from everything. Even if Max goes back on his word and disappears with his prince, that does not mean that we have to follow. We are very good at living wherever we want, and with each other. Fighting with Max will threaten that, and he will put an arrow through your back without a thought if it means protecting those he loves.”

Yoochun huffed and said, “Didn’t I tell you to stop making sense?”

“Yes, but I’d have to stop talking, and you know a very good way to keep me from talking,” Yoohwan replied with a grin.

Yoochun did indeed.

<|---------<<<

Heechul despised the night patrol. He had been told by more than one person that the night was the best because it was quiet and the stars were pretty. Heechul preferred noise. Like moaning. And Yunho was pretty too. Handsome and adorable, laid out on bed, letting Heechul lick and kiss the scars up and down his skin.

And his cock. Yunho had the best cock, and Heechul knew a few things about cocks.

The biggest problem with night patrol with Heechul was that he got distracted thinking of what was waiting for him back in bed. Yunho’s thighs, Yunho’s biceps, Yunho’s mouth, Yunho’s hands, Yunho’s fingers.

And thinking of that usually led to tight trousers which led to self-gratification which led to distraction.

But Heechul was good at either quick and quiet self-relief, or letting his pleasure build for when he was back in bed with Yunho. And his hips, and his thighs, and his amazing, amazing technique.

With the mess with Max, the little devious shit, Heechul much preferred touch and company, at least enough to remind him that he was not alone, and Yunho was a permanent fixture to Heechul’s side.

So he leaned against his tree and did not touch himself, listening to the sounds of the forests with his bow up, ready for either food or protection for the compound.

Late in the night with things almost too still, too quiet, Heechul heard the rustle of leaves, the swish of branches brushing past cloth. He whistled a few codes in birdsong. But the codes were not returned. He listened, alert and aware of the area around him. With soft steps he calculated the direction the traveler was going and followed, cutting a little to the north to intercept him if he had to.

After only a couple more minutes, he determined that the traveler was alone and the traveler was experienced and swift. A few times he lost track of him, and then found him again further along than he was expecting. He had to conclude that the traveler also knew he was being followed.

Heechul changed direction and went instead for a direct interception. Jogging, soft boots quiet on the ground, he caught up to to the traveler. He wore a hood of a dark color, green probably, a seamless shadow in the trees. Heechul admired that. There was a mask over his face, with just his eyes and forehead bare to catch the bright light of the moon filtering through the trees.

Heechul was impressed.

When he got in front of the traveler, he found a good position against a tree and said, “If you value your life, you will stop where you are.”

The figure froze, almost falling in his haste to stop.

“Good,” Heechul crooned. He put away his bow and arrows and pulled his sword instead. He made sure the other saw the gleam of it in the moonlight. The figure did not move or reach for a weapon.

“Who are you?” Heechul asked.

“Taemin.”

“Taemin. You are very fast, very quick, very silent. Do you want a job?”

“Huh?”

Heechul chuckled. “Maurdering Max is always looking for recruits.”

It was such a stupid nickname, but usually used with purpose. Taemin did not quiver with fright. He did not move.

“Ah, so you’re here looking for Max, are you? Why?”

“Information.”

“A spy. Spies aren’t any fun. They rarely scream for mercy.”

Still no reaction. Heechul’s admiration for Taemin went up a notch. “Again, why are you here?”

Taemin slowly held out his hands. “In my cloak, there is an inner pocket.”

“I am not stupid enough to get that close to you. Put your left hand on your head and take out what you want me to find with the right.”

Taemin did, again going slowly, no sudden movements.

“Hold it out.”

A sparkle of metal dangled from his hand.

Heechul stepped close enough, sword extended. Taemin shifted his hand and the chain slid over Heechul sword, sliding down to the hilt. Heechul did not have to look at the medallion to know exactly what was etched on it.

“Well, well, well. A friend.” He whistled, loud and clear notes. He waited a few seconds and heard an answer. He kept his sword up and pointed at Taemin until he heard Donghae whisper-step near him.

“I need you to cover my area. I’ll send Shindong out early to help.”

“What for?” Donghae whined and then stopped when he caught sight of Taemin. “What the ...?”

Heechul smiled. “We have a visitor that Max needs to talk to.”

<|---------<<<

There was no fever. There was no infection. The medicine that EunHae had brought back helped heal Junsu’s wound.

Siwon said that he was satisfied with Junsu’s progress. Now, it was a matter of time. Now, Junsu just had to wake up.

Changmin hated waiting. He had learned patience in the forests and on his own. He had tailored what his father had taught him to the woods and trees. Turned himself into a soldier. Turned himself into a force.

Until someone he cared about was injured.

And now he paced, worried and insecure. When Junsu woke up, Changmin was determined to be angry for what he put him through.

A series of knocks interrupted his pacing.

“Come in!”

Heechul walked in, smirking like he had the biggest secret in the world.

“You’re on duty,” Changmin said immediately, and then his mouth dropped open when someone walked in behind him. He was skinny, young, and adorable. Or he had been, so many years ago. Now his face was set in a scowl, head covered by the cowl of a hood.

“Taeminnie?” Changmin whispered.

Taemin smirked, almost the twin image of Heechul. He lowered the hood, showing off his round face, long hair pulled back into a messy bun.

“I figured you’d know who he is. Isn’t he adorable?” Heechul asked and pinched the other’s cheek. The other allowed it, though he grimaced. “I already told him that Yunho would not mind if I dragged him to bed to be between us.”

“What are you doing here?” Changmin asked.

Taemin nodded at the bed. “I was sent. Your messenger was too cryptic. We want answers.”

“He sent you alone?”

“I made it, didn’t I? And I’ll make it back. What’s wrong with him?”

Changmin turned back to the bed. The candlelight tossed shadows on Junsu’s pale skin. “His guards betrayed him.”

“What?”

Changmin nodded and looked into Taemin’s eyes. “He came with seven. We took out two of them, so five ended up at their destination. In the night, they kidnapped her ladyship and Junsu followed. He overtook them easily, held his own until we could get there. I walked into an emotional battle. Two went down with Junsu’s arrows. He was fighting off two others, and had managed to almost slice one’s arm off. We finished them off when we got there.”

Taemin’s mouth was still open in shock. “There are ... still three of his guard ... we will have to question them.”

“And you?”

Taemin crossed his arms and glared at him. “My life belongs to my prince. Both of them.”

Changmin nodded. “I know, but that’s what they would have said too.”

“Her ladyship?”

“She is safe. The baby is still alive.”

“Thank the mountains’ might,” Taemin whispered. He moved to the bed, but Changmin stepped in front of him.

“Please excuse my caution,” Changmin said, “but you’d understand if someone you loved so much was unconscious after almost bleeding to death because a guard who professed his life to him tried to take it instead.”

Taemin lifted an eyebrow and smirked again. “Love?”

“Yes, tell that to your boss.”

Taemin chuckled. “I will.”

“You should stay, sleep and rest.”

“And fuck,” Heechul said. “I’m sure once Yunho sees you...”

Taemin shook his head. “This is too important. I must travel swiftly back to the palace. But ...” He grabbed the front of Heechul’s tunic and yanked him forward for a strong kiss. “When this is over, I may take you up on the offer.”

Heechul laughed and fanned his face.

Taemin smirked again before bowing at both of them. He left the room quickly, booted feet soft on the wood. Heechul followed him to the door, bending a bit to watch him walk away.

“Cute, cute, cute. If more of that mouth is a result of peace, then bring on an alliance.”

Changmin smiled. “You must be horny. Go escort Taemin out of our woods and then finish your shift.”

“Shindong is covering for me.” He waved a hand in the air without turning back to him. “Going to go fuck myself on Yunho’s cock.”

“You’re so crude.”

Heechul laughed.

Changmin shut the door behind him and then went back to the bed. He sat in the chair and rubbed his face in his hands. With knees on his elbows, he fought back a sudden bout of tears. He was tired, worried, stressed out. And hungry.

And in pain. Too much. More than he chest could handle. It tightened up, making it hard to breathe. It bubbled up, twisted through his stomach, making him sick. He pressed his palms to his eyes and growled. Sort of. The end was more like a sob, and Changmin just gave up, sagged into the chair and then to the floor, pressed his face to the soft blanket over the bed and cried over too many things, mind warring with too many thoughts, too many to focus on, and his body shook with sobs and he soaked the one spot on the bed with tears. He sobbed until his body couldn’t and then he sat there, breathing deeply, still crying but no longer shaking uncontrollably.

He had no idea how long he stayed there, exhausted and with a sudden headache. His nose was stuffy, his throat sore and his lips dry. He leaned his chin on his arm and stared at Junsu sleeping. Soon the candlelight was replaced with morning light, and Changmin leaned over to blow it out.

With his story out, and everyone gossiping about him being in love with a prince, they bothered him less, but that did not mean that Changmin could disappear. He still needed to be visible. Still needed to be available to solve problems. He’d been with Junsu for an entire night again, and he was running on almost a day without sleep. He desperately needed to sleep. Maybe he’d borrow Heechul’s bed since Heechul spent more time in Yunho’s.

But then something moved, and Changmin sat up straight, staring at the bed. At Junsu.

Sure enough, he moved again, just his arm, under the blanket, and then he turned his head. His mouth opened and he breathed deeply before a sudden coughing fit had him jerking up and then he whimpered and Changmin moved quickly. He dipped a cup into a cool bucket of water, just for this purpose, left by Siwon. He held the cup to Junsu’s lips and let him feel the moisture. Only a swallow dribbled onto his chapped lips and then Junsu settled, eyes fluttering.

Changmin put the cup on the side table and reached for Junsu’s hand. For the first time in days, when he squeezed, his hand was squeezed back.

He leaned over him and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. When he pulled back, Junsu’s eyes were open.

“Good to see you,” Changmin whispered. “Good to see your pretty eyes.”

Junsu sort of smile and then coughed again. Changmin gave him another drink.

“Feel ... like horse ... shit,” Junsu whispered, voice harsh.

Changmin chuckled. “I bet. Siwon says you’ll be okay, especially now that you’re awake.”

“What ... happened?”

Changmin felt his throat close up again. “You fought so well, love. So amazing. Seohyun is fine. She’s safe and holding every baby and toddler in my compound. You protected her so well.”

Junsu smiled, and then his eyes tightened and he looked away. Tears dripped down his face, toward the bed. Changmin wiped them away.

“How long?” Junsu whispered.

“This is day four.”

“Junho will worry,” he said, trying to control his breathing. He was obviously in pain.

“Sh, he won’t. You’ll never believe it but Taemin was here, not even six hours ago, to check on you. He’s headed back to tell your brother that you’re alive and all is well.”

Junsu turned back to face him. “All is well?”

Changmin smiled and touched his cheek. “You are alive and I love you and...” Changmin could not keep talking, feeling himself cry again. He was so tired.

Junsu squeezed his hand. “I feel broken.”

“But alive,” Changmin returned. “I thought I lost you before I could tell you that I love you. I love you, Junsu. By the trees, the mountains, the queen--” Changmin smiled, throat tight.

Junsu chuckled and then winced.

“Sorry,” Changmin whispered. “Siwon needs to check on you.”

“Don’t leave,” Junsu said quickly. “Please. Just ...” His eyes shut and he relaxed everything but the grip on Changmin’s hand.

Changmin helped him take another drink of water.

“You love me?” Junsu gasped.

“More than the sun, more than the crown, more than--”

“Treason.”

Changmin smiled. “Are you going to tattle on me?”

“Yes. I’ll tell Junho. He’ll have you --”

“Beheaded?” Changmin said.

Junsu opened an eye. “No. Made general of his army.”

“A fate worse than death.”

Junsu smiled and relaxed. He looked at Changmin, head turned to the side, and he smiled. “I love you, King of the Rogues.”

Changmin laughed and then leaned over and kissed him. “I love you, King of my Heart. Rest. You’re safe here. Sleep. I will be right here when you wake up again.”


	6. The Bracer

**The Bracer**  
_The bracer is a sheath positioned on the bow arm that prevents the bowstring from slapping the arm or catching sleeves._

__

__

Junsu continued to wake up throughout the day, sometimes in pain, sometimes not. Changmin stayed by his side, giving him water and sips of broth that Yoona had prepared for him. He stayed until Siwon ordered him out and into a bed to sleep.

Grumbling, Changmin followed his orders, but only because now that Junsu was awake, Siwon gave him medicine that controlled the pain to an extent, but it also made Junsu sleep for long hours.

“He’s through the worst of it,” Siwon had said. “We’ll continue to monitor him for infection, but there is nothing you can do holding vigil by his bed except make yourself sick and exhausted.”

Changmin hated it when Siwon was right, but as a previous palace doctor, Siwon knew what he was talking about, and Changmin went to Heechul’s bed, collapsed on it and did not move for hours.

When he woke up and actually felt rested, it was dark, just after sunset. He was only mildly surprised that Yoochun stood near the door of his room.

He sat up and stretched. Yoochun had his arms crossed over his chest, not threatening but not welcoming either. A cup sat on his table. He lifted an eyebrow at Yoochun.

“Tea, from Yoona.”

Changmin nodded. He thought for a moment of poison, but he trusted Yoochun almost as much as he trusted Heechul and Yunho. Maybe even more.

He lifted the cup and sipped at the green tea. “Where’s your other half?” Changmin asked.

“Recovering,” Yoochun said with smirk.

Changmin knew better than to ask. “And you’re here why?”

“Chat.”

“You’re failing at that.” Changmin stood up and started his stretches. He did not pause in turning his back on Yoochun. His trust in the other man had not changed and he meant to show him that.

Yoochun snorted and finally said, “I feel like I don’t know you anymore.”

“And you tell me all your secrets?”

“You want to know what Yoohwan looks like with my dick in--”

Changmin held up a hand. “No, thank you. I’m not going to believe that is your only secret.”

“I’m not sure any of my secrets carry as heavy a weight as yours.”

“Why don’t you say what you want to say and get out?”

“Can I?” Yoochun said. “Talk to you still, I mean? Without worry of betrayal, without--”

“I already told you my plans. I am not going to abandon this or the people here. They may need me, but I need them too. I’ve lived here, in the trees, for longer than I ever lived in the palace. This is my home, and you.” Changmin sighed. “You are my brother, so is Yunho and Heechul and every man here. Every woman my mother, my sister. I lost my family too, and live here as you do, a place to feel safe and secure with people I can trust. I have never required anyone to divulge all their secrets to be here. I have only expected them to work, to do their share, to support each other. You have always done that, and Yoohwan has always done that.”

“And the prince?”

Changmin swallowed and shrugged. “Tell me what it feels like to see your heart yanked from your chest with no way of knowing when it will return.”

Yoochun was quiet for a long time. “I do not know what that feels like.”

Changmin nodded. “I always think that when this is over, when Junho and Jaejoong are kings, I will have time to be together with him, get to know each other. Maybe. Maybe we’ll hate each other.” He tried to smile. “It’s very sad that the most time I’ve spent with him has been over the last few days.”

“Pathetic.”

Changmin took a very deep breath. “You’re so lucky.”

“I know.”

“I plan on seeing this to its end, whatever end that may be. You and Yoohwan are more resourceful than many. The day you two decide to disappear is the day no one ever sees you again. I am actually surprised you’re still here.”

“Thank Yoohwan for that.”

“I will. I want you by my side. You’re both amazing fighters and archers, but I also understand if you no longer trust me.”

Yoochun looked at him for another long moment before turning around abruptly and leaving the room. Only seconds later, Heechul entered the room, and Changmin understood. Yoochun had heard him coming, leaving only for that reason.

“Did you jerk off in my bed?” Heechul asked, complete with obscene hand motions.

“Nope.”

“Too bad. Your prince is awake and asking for you.”

Changmin looked at the half-full cup of cold tea. Well, he needed it, so he tilted it back, swallowing it in two mouthfuls.

“If you bat your eyelashes at me, I’ll make you more.”

“I’ll go ask Yoona. You might poison me.”

“After last winter, that mess with an entire bucket of water being spilled over her bed and freezing overnight, you should be suspicious of her too. Yoona is crafty, probably just biding her time for the perfect moment.”

Changmin smiled and then frowned. “You did not deny that you might poison me.”

Heechul laughed and moved in close to him. One arm went around his neck, the other at his waist. Changmin stood still and only protested a little when Heechul kissed him. “How could I ever poison you, huh? You’re still the adorable gangly slip of a teenager who was too afraid to tell me you had no coin to pay me for relieving you of your virginity.”

Changmin felt his cheeks flush. “Shut up.”

Heechul laughed again and kissed him quickly. “But you did introduce me to Yunho, so don’t worry. You never have to repay that.”

“You may owe me.”

Heechul laughed again. “How about we’re even?”

Changmin nodded and finally hugged him. “Even. Thanks.”

“Yoochun may be a brooding stuck pig right now, but Yunho and I aren’t going anywhere. You know that right?”

“Yes, but it is good to hear.”

“Good. Now,” Heechul kissed his cheek. “Get over to your prince before I push you to my own bed to see how much you’ve learned since that adorable, awkward fumble in the village square.”

<|---------<<<

Junsu sat up against the wooden headboard, propped up on pillows donated from other beds in the village. He swallowed a few sips of broth on his own. His side twinged with minor pain. He watched the dusk turn to night, the spray of moonlight through the trees.

Siwon had left to get more bandages and medicine.

Junsu leaned back and breathed, trying to relax. Without meaning to, he fell back asleep, waking at a soft touch to his cheek. His eyes fluttered open, and he smiled at Changmin. His throat closed, and he blinked back a sting in his eyes.

“Hi,” Changmin said and leaned forward and brushed a kiss to his lips.

Junsu whimpered, lifted a hand to Changmin’s head and kept him there with fingers tangled in a messily pulled back bun.

Their tongues touched, lightly at first, and then more firmly as Changmin pressed closer. Junsu’s hands slid down his neck, to his shoulders, and Changmin crawled into the bed, careful with his hands and careful not to break their kiss. He straddled Junsu’s thighs and used his own hands to pull at Junsu’s shorter hair.

By the time Changmin broke away, chest heaving with tight breaths, the two had shared their longest kiss ever.

The sting was back in Junsu’s eyes.

“Hi,” Changmin repeated, fingers soft on his cheeks.

Junsu smiled. “Hi.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Sore, weak, like a cart ran me over.”

Changmin nodded. “That’s actually good. It means your body is healing.”

“Doesn’t mean I like it.”

Changmin sat back on Junsu’s thighs. He lifted Junsu’s shirt and checked his bandages. Lifting the corners showed that the skin was a healing pink and not warm to the touch. And with the shirt up, Changmin’s fingers trailed up his uninjured side, making Junsu quiver and lean his head back with a sigh.

Changmin continued to touch him, up a little higher, brushing his fingertips over his nipples, and then lower, down to the band of his soft pants. Junsu’s breath sped up, his body taut.

“He is not well enough for you to be in bed with him,” Siwon said behind him.

Changmin smiled, looking at Junsu. “I know, but I cannot help myself.”

“You should be resting,” Siwon pressed.

“I promise I am not moving,” Junsu said.

“But even from here, I can tell your heart rate is higher, and your skin is flushed and sweaty.”

Changmin leaned down for one more kiss before he climbed from the bed. “I will control myself.”

“Not fair,” Junsu said with a pout.

Changmin laughed. “Get well, be strong, and well ... then I can climb into bed with you.” His cheeks flushed, all the way to his ears, and Junsu laughed at him.

Siwon smiled as he checked Junsu’s bandages. “You’ll continue to heal quickly if you rest and listen to me.”

Junsu nodded. “I will.”

“I want you to eat some solid food soon. Some vegetables. I’ll have Yoona bring you some now if you think you can eat.”

Junsu smiled. “Yeah. That’ll be good.”

“I’ll supervise,” Changmin said, sitting in the chair by his bed and reaching for his hand.

Junsu laughed and entwined their fingers.

“Don’t laugh. Supervising means making sure your food isn’t poisoned.”

“Your people wouldn’t ...”

Changmin shrugged. “I do not think they’d poison me. So if they know I’m eating your food first, then maybe not.”

“And Seohyun? Who is eating her food first?”

Siwon chuckled. “She eats it so fast that she hasn’t given anyone enough time to poison it. Don’t worry. Yoona, my wife, prepares your food and hers.”

“You seem so very familiar to me,” Junsu said.

Siwon smiled. “I was training to be a palace doctor for the Mountains Kingdom before my skills were re-appropriated.”

“That makes it sound like I kidnapped you,” Changmin argued.

Siwon shrugged. “If the boot fits, Max.”

Changmin rolled his eyes. “Don’t let him sound like such a martyr. He wandered into our camp, and once someone sees it and knows where it is, we don’t let them leave. And he said himself that we had a need for his skills, so he has stayed.”

“Now that is noble,” Junsu said.

Siwon smiled. “Yes. Rest for a little while, please.” He looked at Changmin when he said this. “I will send Yoona over with some food.”

Junsu nodded. “Thank you, Siwon. If it weren’t for you, I’d be dead, giving my father yet another reason to start a war.”

“Another reason?” Changmin said, suddenly alert.

Junsu shook his head. “It does not take much.”

Changmin waited until Siwon was gone and then lifted an eyebrow. “Keeping secrets, my love?”

Junsu huffed. “Yes, but ...” He looked around. “They are really really big secrets.”

Changmin nodded. He understood. They were going to have to wait until they were alone. Relatively alone.

Yoona arrived a few minutes later, and Changmin had no problems just staring at Junsu. It was so different than looking at him from across a carriage, or while one of Changmin’s men held him hostage while Changmin looted his belongings.

Changmin, as promised, took the first few bites of Junsu’s vegetables before letting Junsu even try. He hoped his people were not stupid enough to poison a prince, but he had to be sure. Better a dead outlaw leader than a dead prince.

As soon as Junsu finished eating, Changmin went to the doorway. He held his tongue to the roof of his mouth and whistled the passcode for Yoochun and Yoohwan.

“What was that?” Junsu asked.

“We need to talk, and I don’t want anyone to listen in on us.”

“So you make a ‘top secret, don’t disturb, highly classified’ village-wide announcement?”

Changmin chuckled. “No. That was for Yoochun and Yoohwan, who are going to come and make sure no one listens in on us.”

“But they will hear!”

Changmin nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. “I trust them both with my life. And any plans we make will include both of them anyway.”

Junsu huffed.

Changmin smiled and leaned over him, pressing a kiss to his lips. “You’re so cute.”

Junsu crinkled his nose. “Annoying.”

Their next kiss was longer, straying too close to desperate for Junsu’s condition.

“You did not call us in here just to watch you two fuck, right?” Yoochun said from the door.

Changmin pulled away from Junsu’s mouth reluctantly. “Unfortunately no. He still isn’t well enough to fuck.”

“Doesn’t look like there’s anything wrong with his mouth, though.”

“Doctor’s orders,” Junsu muttered.

Yoochun chuckled. “What do you need?”

“Junsu and I need to talk. Privately. Without anyone listening in.”

Yoochun stared at him for a moment. “All right.”

“Can I kill anyone that gets close?” Yoohwan asked and patted his side where he held his throwing knives.

Changmin rolled his eyes. “No, what is wrong with you?”

Yoohwan smirked and said nothing.

Kid was crazy. Changmin shook his head.

“Corners,” Yoochun said to Yoohwan and they bumped fists before one turned one way and the other went the other way.

“You trust them?” Junsu whispered.

“With my life.” Junsu did not look convinced, so Changmin said, “I was ... lax one day about eight years ago. I did not completely check my surroundings before attacking a small guard of men. The four I thought were alone were suddenly twice that many, and I would have been killed if not for Yoochun and Yoohwan. They just materialized out of the air, helped defend me for no other reason than taking revenge for their family, and then just as quickly disappeared. They contacted me again a few months later, ambushed me in my own house that I had built, and more or less showed me how easily and told me how often they could have killed me but didn’t. The exact words that Yoochun used were, ‘I let you live because I admire your skills. Do you mind if we build a house next to yours?’ And I said yes, knowing that Yoochun would have slit my throat if I said no. This was after Yunho and Heechul joined me, and we had decided to build in the trees, and so Yoochun and Yoohwan’s house was the first in the trees.”

Junsu nodded. “Okay,” he said, then shifted and sighed.

“You need to tell me everything, Kim Junsu.”

Junsu huffed. “I know, it’s just ... hard, to ... I mean, I’m planning on murdering my father, and that’s just ... he’s not the greatest king, but he’s my father, and everything is complicated and blown out of my control. It’s hard ... and I can’t ... I’m having a hard time dealing with it. The fact that my guards betrayed me. They were sworn to secrecy.”

“Money will make people do crazy things.”

“Like become a woodland bandit?” he asked with a grin.

Changmin laughed. “Yes, just like that.”


	7. The Aim

**The Aim**  
_The aim is the concentrated effort to direct an arrow to its target._

“This was Junho’s idea,” Junsu started carefully.

“So it’s reckless, insane, and we all might die.” Changmin smiled. When they were all younger, most of Junho’s ideas ended up with them in loads of trouble.

Junsu scoffed. “Exactly. The Festival of Stones is next month, and the king always makes an appearance and judges the best crystals.”

“By the Queen--”

“What did I say about my mother?” Junsu almost shouted.

Changmin huffed. “Su-yah, this is ...”

Junsu nodded. “I don’t ... I don’t want to involve you, but well, Junho and I have been talking about strategy and how to do this. The Festival is always held on the Stone Plateau in the gorge. Big enough for carts and tents, but also a good vantage point for a well-aimed arrow.”

“I’d never get out of that gorge alive.”

Junsu nodded again. “That’s why I don’t want to ask you. You’d be caught, killed, and ... tortured, and I just ...”

Changmin leaned over him to give him a short kiss to comfort him, but Junsu still made a pained noise in the back of his throat and clutched at his tunic.

“It’s ... just that ...” Junsu bit his lip. “We have been thinking of having me be sick and shoot him, or ... Well, Chanyeol was supposed to do it, a few of my guards and Junho’s guards, but we cannot trust them anymore. The main problems is that Junho and I have to be right next to the king, through the entire Festival, so neither of us can do it. And there is no one else I trust not to accidentally miss.”

“I don’t think I could shoot that close to you. I have been known to miss.”

Someone snorted from the doorway. Yoochun.

Changmin lifted an eyebrow.

“You have never missed, and there are caves out of that gorge,” he whispered. “A lot of them. Just a matter of knowing where you are going.”

“You know?” Junsu said.

Yoochun nodded. “It is a very good plan, and honestly, one we already thought of, but then we went into the woods instead of into the mountains.”

Changmin stared at him for a moment. “You were planning on killing the king?”

“Not necessarily, but enough soldiers to feel vindicated.”

“Dare I ask?” Junsu said.

Changmin shook his head. “No, it’s fine. Okay. So-”

“Our bows are wherever you need them,” Yoochun said and then nodded his head and went back outside. He whistled, a ridiculous tune, meant to warn of impending visitors.

“Then that’s the plan,” Changmin said.

“Wait, what? But I--”

Changmin nodded. “It needs to be done. We’ll do it.”

Junsu opened his mouth to protest and then Yunho walked through the door, matching Yoochun’s whistles.

“What am I interrupting?” Yunho asked.

Changmin met Junsu’s eyes.

“Please don’t,” Junsu begged. “Please. I ... we can do it without you.”

“You can’t.”

“We can!”

“How? And trust who? A guard?”

Junsu started gasping, clutching his side.

Changmin cursed and turned to Yunho. “Go get Siwon!”

Yunho nodded and spun around to do so.

Changmin moved closer to Junsu and cupped his cheeks. “Look at me. Breathe, come on. Deep breaths. Just ... breathe.”

Tears fell down his cheeks. “I cannot lose you, I can’t.”

“And I can lose you? This makes the most sense.”

“But how ... we ...”

“Use Taemin if you need to discuss things with us. He’ll be our messenger, but honestly, as of this moment, it’s out of your hands. You and Junho have nothing to do with it. No more planning. You two will not endanger yourselves. Someone in your castle is aware of this plot, so you already have to be very careful.”

Junsu shook his head. “I don’t want to lose you.”

“I don’t want to lose you either, especially not to someone else’s wobbly arrow.”

Junsu nodded, sniffling back more tears.

Yoochun whistled twice, a short warning, and a moment later, Siwon entered the room, followed by Yunho.

Changmin got up from the bed as Siwon bent over Junsu on the other side. He moved over to Yunho, stood close with lips against his ear. “Have Yoochun tell you. Completely secret. You tell Heechul. Only the five of us, you understand?”

Yunho nodded. “Sounds fun.”

“We all might die.”

Yunho smirked. “Exactly.”

<|---------<<<

Taemin staggered down the hallways. His legs were tired, cramping, and he had a hard time breathing. He needed to faceplant in a bed and not get up for hours.

But first.

“Taeminnie!” Minho whisper-shouted, and a moment later, he and Jonghyun were helping him, arms around him, supporting him down the hall.

“Junho, need to talk to Junho.”

MInho nodded. “We’re going there right now.”

With the sudden support, Taemin’s legs decided they had enough, and Minho had to hike him up onto his back and carry him into Junho’s room.

Jinki’s eyes widened, and he hurried into Junho’s private rooms, barely knocking.

Minho settled Taemin into a chair. In the fog of his tiredness, Taemin heard Minho tell Key to get some water.

Junho came first, kneeling beside him, hands gripping his fingers. “Taeminnie,” Junho said. “Oh god, Taemin. Are you injured? What happened?”

“Don’t worry,” Taemin said and blinked. “Just ... tired. Junsu, okay. He was injured. He ... his guards.”

“Sh,” Junho said. “Here.”

The edge of a glass pressed against his lips, and Taemin took a much needed drink.

“Guards,” he said. “Junsu’s guards. Kidnapped Seohyun. Tried to kill Junsu.”

“What?” more than one of them shouted.

“He fought them off. Max and his men helped him. He’s alive. For now.”

“Those vile, worthless, arrogant--”

Junho hushed Key. “Jonghyun, Jinki, go get Baekhyun, Jongin and Lay, right now. Actually. All of you go. If they fight you, kill them.”

Taemin gasped.

Junho sighed. “I know it’s harsh, but if they are conspiring against my brother, well, my brother is way more important than they are. Now, go!”

They all went, even if Jinki wanted to protest leaving the prince alone. Taemin was almost asleep when fingers touched his face and he opened his eyes and smiled at the princess.

“Taeyeonnie,” Taemin whispered. “I”m sorry to interrupt your time with your prince.”

Taeyeon chuckled. “It’s okay. I think I’m actually wearing him out. He’s going to get sick of my mouth soon.”

“Never,” Junho whispered and kissed her cheek.

Taemin smiled. “Love. Silly love. Your brother too.”

“Huh?”

“Max,” Taemin said. “In love. They’re in love. Max wouldn’t even let me get near Junsu.”

“But he’s okay?”

Taemin shrugged. “Still sleeping when I was there, but Max said that he was better.”

“Wait? What? In love? My brother ... he’s ...”

Taemin took a deep breath and nodded. “Totally in love.”

“That is really sweet,” Taeyeon said, “and no where near as important as Junsu being okay.”

Taemin watched them bicker about it for a moment, and decided it was way too easy to picture Junsu and Changmin doing the exact same thing. His vision blurred and his eyes closed. But he was smiling.

<|---------<<<

Jaejoong sat in his office, not actually working, just breaking quills and destroying parchment. It was so hard to concentrate with his wife someplace else, in someone else’s protection, and was she? Was she already dead? How did he know that Maurdering Max could be trusted? How did he know that Junsu could be trusted?

Daesung sat a cup of tea on his desk. He looked at it and then up at Daesung. Could Daesung be trusted?

Daesung smiled at him, like he knew just what Jaejoong was thinking.

With a growl, Jaejoong snagged the cup of tea and then spun around in his chair, back to the room. He trusted Daesung and Seungri.

He stared out the picture window and watched the sun rise on the sixth day of Seohyun being gone. No smiles, no laughter, no kisses stolen under the blankets like they were still teenagers. The tightness in his chest threatened to turn to tears. His hands shook, the teacup rattling on its saucer.

Three knocks sounded on the door, and Seungri opened it just as Jaejoong spun back around.

Taeyang entered, followed by a man Jaejoong had only met once, but corresponded with enough to know that he could be trusted. He stood up quickly, too quickly with a shout of “Micky!” and Micky smiled, a smirk really.

He was wearing a Palace of the Trees guard uniform, and his long hair was pulled up in the way all Jaejoong’s guards wore their hair. It was a bit daunting how easily this man could slip into his city dressed that way.

Jaejoong strode across the room and did not pause until they embraced.

Micky thumped his back and then laughed. He pulled back and kissed him shortly, but firmly, right on the lips. “From your wife.”

Jaejoong made a face and shoved him away.

Micky laughed. “I had her direct permission to give that to you personally.”

Jaejoong curled his lip. “Did she kiss you?”

“Had to transfer it somehow!”

He glared at his guards who were smiling at him, Seungri outright laughing, though wary of the sudden appearance of someone they did not know. “What is going on?” Jaejoong asked.

Micky glanced around at the guards.

Jaejoong glared at him. “They stay.”

With a shrug, Micky said, “Your wife is in good health and good spirits. We have lots of infants and children that she is playing with and cooing over. She is very glad that Minzy is okay, and when she gets back to you, she will repay you all your heartache in scandalous ways, those are her exact words.”

“And Junsu?” he whispered, almost too afraid to ask.

Micky frowned. “He was injured badly. We caught up to him fighting off two of his guards. He took a wound to his right side and to his left arm. Our doctor was not even sure if he’d live because he lost so much blood, but he woke up two days ago and he’s on his way to being well. We have to send him home soon. Max is gathering up supplies and putting together a carriage for him today.”

“He is not staying to recover?”

“Not anymore. Plans change.”

“What plans?”

Micky glanced around the room again. “Secret plans.”

Jaejoong sighed. “I’m just going to tell them when you leave.”

“Maybe not.”

Jaejoong waved his fingers. “Wait outside.”

“Your highness,” Jiyong said in protest.

Jaejoong glared. “Micky has saved my life in the past, Ji. He’s one of my most trusted informants.”

“That makes it sound like I work for you,” Micky said with a smirk.

“You give me information. I give you information. An informant. I know you don’t work for me. You don’t even work for Max.”

Micky chuckled. “Too true. The only one who can order me around is Ricky.”

“Leave us alone, for ... two minutes?” Jaejoong said.

Micky nodded. “Plenty of time.”

Grumbling, Jiyong led the others out of the office and into the hall.

As soon as the door shut, Micky said, “We’re killing the King of Mountains during the Festival of Stones.”

“By the trees,” Jaejoong muttered. “It’s too soon!”

“We have to do it then. It’s the only time the king will be in public, and as soon as Seohyun gives birth, the soldiers on both sides will be too prepared for an attack. They are expecting it now, remember? We do not know who was behind Seohyun’s kidnapping. It has to be now. Junsu is being sent home to recover there. He’ll tell everyone that he was attacked by Max, who killed all of his guards, and he barely got away with his life. He stayed with an outlying village until he had enough energy to come home. He and his brother will carry on as they have always done. They are not part of our plans at all. Basically, Max, Ricky and I are going to shoot the king from the cliffs around the gorge and hopefully slip away.”

Jaejoong nodded. “And Seohyun?”

“She will be returned to you on that same day, escorted by EunHae and Teuk who are Tree Dwellers, or they were Tree Dwellers. There is no way that we can risk traveling after that day. The Mountains Kingdom will want immediate revenge.”

“That is a month away, what if the baby comes before then?”

“The first sign of labor, and she’ll be on her way here. We have a doctor that knows some techniques on delaying birth. He’ll travel with her if that happens.”

“This is going to cause my father to increase his security and make it difficult for me to carry out my plans.”

Micky smirked. “We have faith in you. A messenger named Taemin may bring you information.”

The door opened.

“It’s been two minutes,” Jiyong said and crossed his arms.

Jaejoong leaned against his desktop and nodded. “I understand, but please tell Max and Junsu that I think they are crazy.”

“That is part of the reason why this is going to work.” Micky smirked. “Do you want to give me anything for your wife in return? A kiss? Maybe a blow--”

“Get out,” Jaejoong growled.

He laughed and turned toward the door. He blew Jaejoong a kiss. “See you later, JaeJae. Boys, I’ll see myself out of the city.”

Jiyong glared at his back. “Arrogant snake.”

Jaejoong scoffed. “Indeed. But he did save my life before you became my guards.”

Jiyong lifted an eyebrow.

Jaejoong took a deep breath. “I was barely eighteen. I was traveling alone, visiting some of the farther villages, and a group of Mountain Soldiers caught me. They did not know who I was, but it was pretty amazing how I was outnumbered, and then Micky and his brother Ricky were suddenly there. They killed all the soldiers, helped stitch up the wound in my side, and let me go on my way.”

“What did he want now? What is Max planning?”

Jaejoong sighed. Could his guards be trusted? He rubbed his face. He had to trust them. If he started seeing traitors in those he considered himself closest to, then he was going to go crazy.

“Shut the door. This changes everything.”


	8. The Sight Window

**The Sight Window**  
_The cut out portion of a longbow riser that allows the arrow to come closer to the centerline of the bow._

Junho allowed Minho and Kibum into the secure room before him. They stood just a few steps inside, arms loose at their sides, ready to draw a sword or throw a knife. Junho moved between them, but behind them. He blinked a few times at the dimness in the room. The only light came from a small slit high in the far wall. The room was barely big enough for a grown man to lay down in. Jonghyun and Jinki stayed out in the hall with their swords drawn, an obvious threat to the three men in the room, should they try anything to escape.

Baekhyun, Lay, and Jongin were all standing. They’d all been stripped of their uniforms, left in nothing but loose pants. Lay leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Baekhyun paced a short three steps one way and three the other. Jongin had his hands laced on top of his head. He smirked.

Junho never thought that Junsu’s guards would betray them. They’d grown up as Junsu’s guards, and the only reason why they were not his guards was because Junho did not want more than five. Technically, they were the princes’ guards, sworn to protect both of them.

“All right, so talk,” Junho said.

Lay shrugged a shoulder, flicking short hair out of his face with the other hand. “Why? You’re not going to allow us to live anyway.”

“And you assume that I am above torture,” Junho said. “When it comes to my brother’s safety, you should know better. I will do anything to protect my brother. Friends you may have been, but that title no longers applies to those that betray me and try to harm my brother.”

Baekhyun stopped and put his face in his hands.

“Quick and mostly painless, or long and drawn out,” Junho continued. “It’s your choice.”

When they continued to be silent, Junho shook his head. “I really want to know what is worth my brother’s life. What is the price of the princess of the Trees Kingdom?”

More silence.

“You can also blame it on any of your comrades. They’re all dead and have no way to defend themselves. So who was it? Suho? Chanyeol? Kyungsoo?”

Baekhyun took a very deep breath.

“Don’t you dare,” Jongin snapped.

Baekhyun shook his head. “Why not? We’re found out. I didn’t want to go along with it in the first place!”

By Jongin and Lay’s silence, that was at least true.

Baekhyun kneeled, head bowed, arms held up in subjugation. “The king is aware of Junsu’s trips to the Trees Kingdom, but he does not know why. He is wary of calling out his own son for treason. His plan was to kidnap the princess of the Trees for a ransom that Jaejoong could not pay and destroy his claim on the crown, delaying it further.”

“Does this mean that the king is aware of my plans?”

Baekhyun winced. “Yes. To an extent. He is aware of the threat on his life, but it is our job to find out how and to stop whoever is planning it. He is not aware that you are planning to do it..”

Junho was suddenly very glad that he and Junsu only talked of their methods of ending their father’s life when they were alone.

“Who else is aware of this?”

“His guards. The queen, I think.”

Junho glanced at Minho who only shook his head. “What was to happen to you if you failed in kidnapping the princess?”

“We try again. It has been our orders for months. It has never been a good opportunity. I’m assuming that they succeeded,” Baekhyun said.

Junho snorted. “Yes, but only until Junsu found out and then he chased them down and killed them all.”

“I knew it would not work,” Baekhyun said. “With Max on your side, I said over and over there was no way to get the Trees’ Princess here without Maurdering Max stopping us.”

“And I am assuming my father knows of our alliance with Maurdering Max?”

“He is suspicious of it yes, for as many times as Junsu has been robbed and not killed.”

“What are the chances he is lying?” Kibum asked Junho carefully.

Junho pondered the three of them for a moment and then shook his head. “It does not matter. We have already had suspicions that my father knows what I am up to. With these three, we’ve eliminated ten who can thwart us. I cannot kill my father’s guards without arousing suspicion. We will dispatch of these three.”

“Dispatch?” Lay said. “Such a cruel word.”

Junho glanced at him and pulled out his sword. He waited until both Minho and Kibum had done the same. “As much as I wish to make them pay for Junsu’s suffering, have mercy.”

<|---------<<<

“I don’t want to go,” Junsu whispered. “Please, not yet. Please.”

Changmin swallowed tightly and pulled Junsu to him. “I don’t want you to go. Not ever.”

Junsu gasped against his shoulder, body shaking, arms tight around Changmin’s waist. Even injured and not able to do anything more than kiss Changmin, the last few days had been the best days of his life.

The vision of the sunset bathing the trees in orange blurred. Junsu blinked and blinked again, trying to focus on a point in the forests to keep from crying.

“I love you,” Junsu whispered. “Just a couple more days, please, only a few more. I do not want to leave.”

Changmin ran his hand through Junsu’s soft hair. “I don’t want you to leave, but you need to. You need to be home where you can plan for the Festival like you always do. You and Junho need to be as innocent in this as you can. If someone thinks for even a moment that you are going to kill the king ...”

“Someone already does.”

“Junho will find out who, probably before you’re even home. It’s been two days since Taemin was here, he’s probably already figured it out.”

“I just don’t want to go.”

Changmin leaned back and smiled. “I don’t want you to go.”

“Well, guess what, darlings,” Kyuhyun said behind them, “you have to go, like an hour ago. Come on. We’re wasting daylight.”

Changmin looked over at him and sighed. He cupped Junsu’s face and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I love you.”

Junsu blinked, throat tight, and nodded. “I love you.”

They hugged tightly one more time and then Junsu broke away from him, steps hurried toward the cart that was hooked up behind two horses. Kangin and Siwon sat in the front of the cart with Kangin leading. Kyuhyun and Sungmin rode for extra protection. Junsu climbed into the back, wincing a little at the stretch on his side. He took one more glance at Changmin, memorizing the way he appeared with the setting sun painting strips of light on his clothes. The way his eyes were narrowed, hardened with determination.

Junsu smiled and blew him a kiss and then waved. “Love you, Maurdering Max!”

It broke the stoic look and Changmin smiled and shouted back, “Love you, Duckbutt!”

Junsu’s mouth opened in shock, and then he laughed. Changmin hadn’t called him that since they were younger. He shifted onto the makeshift bed and laid down. He pulled the pillow over his head, and only then did he let himself cry as the cart moved away.

<|---------<<<

Changmin started planning as soon as he could no longer see or hear Junsu leaving. He had to or risk another emotional breakdown. He only had to look at Yoochun and Yoohwan and they both nodded to him and slipped into the trees. In one hour, they’d meet at a secured location. And hopefully, they were decent.

With difficulty, Changmin turned away from where Junsu had disappeared and went right to his cabin. He did not look at the bed that they both had slept on. He grab parchment, ink and a quill. He sat with his back to the bed and started sketching, remembering only part of the layout of the gorge and the Stone Plateau. He’d been the Festival of Stones many times, as a child and a few since then, carefully dressed in disguse. He thought of waiting until he had access to Yoohwan’s excellent memory, but he had to do something to keep from thinking.

They all would have to use different arrows, ones that did not have their fletching. Maurdering Max’s Mob was well known. He could not risk having the Mountains Kingdom digging deeper into the forests to find them.

With the five of them, they did not have much time to be successful and escape. He trusted Yoochun and Yoohwan to get him through the caverns, and he trusted Yunho and Heechul to keep Junho and Junsu safe after the king was dead.

He just had to trust himself not to miss the most important shot of his life.

<|---------<<<

Heechul hated being tied up. Or he had, in the past. Most men saw his pretty face and thought he was an easy target. When he proved otherwise, he was usually arrested and thrown in a dank cell, arms behind his back, blindfolded and stripped, and kept until the guards were done with him and let him go.

But this was different. Jung Yunho was different.

Heechul had no problem being tied up and at Jung Yunho’s mercy.

Again, usually.

But he still had his clothes on even though his wrists were tied to his ankles with soft leather strips that Yunho had made himself just for this. With his face pressed to the bed and his ass in the air and Yunho’s fingers trailing up under his shirt along his sides, Heechul was contemplating murder.

“I swear, Jung Yunho, if you don’t touch--”

His threat was cut off by a super-secret whistle code that called for them both to go to the rendezvous point.

“Fuck him, fuck that stupid slip of a leader bitch.”

Yunho chuckled, his fingers going to Heechul’s ankles to release him.

“We are going to finish this, Jung Yunho, and you are going to--”

Yunho flipped him over. Literally, picked him up and tossed him on his back, pulling the breath from him. It took him a moment to clear his head.

“We are going to continue this,” Yunho said. His hands made quick work of the loose lacings of Heechul’s breaches.

Heechul moaned when Yunho grabbed his cock and his hips lifted off the bed. “No time.”

“Just enough time,” Yunho countered.

Heechul loved how slow Yunho made love to him. He loved all the orgasms he was given, and he adored all the orgasms he was denied. Like right now. Yunho made quick work of the leather strip, wrapping it up around his cock and around his balls. Tight, and so delicious.

“By the trees, I love you,” Heechul moaned.

Yunho laughed. “And I you.” He bent down and kissed the tip of Heechul’s dick. “Come on.” He added a soft slap to Heechul’s swollen balls before climbing from the bed.

Heechul moaned and belatedly realized that Yunho’s own breeches were unlaced. “You were about to fuck me, huh?”

Yunho smiled at him briefly before fixing his clothes. “Maybe, but I wasn’t about to let you come.”

“I should think not.”

<|---------<<<

Yoochun leaned against a thick tree trunk. He shut his eyes, relaxing while he could. The next few weeks were going to be full of more waking hours than sleeping ones. His brother lay on the ground, head pillowed on Yoochun’s thigh. Yoochun had removed the leather tie keeping his hair back and now ran his hands through it while they waited for the others.

“I wonder how our lives would be different now if you had let me shoot the king six years ago like I wanted to.”

Yoochun tugged sharply on his hair. “Shut up.”

Yoohwan laughed. “I’m kidding. Six years ago, Junho would not be in a position to take over, and Max would not be sickeningly in love with a prince.”

“You had a clear shot though, and I should have let you take it.”

“Well, I’ll take it now.”

“The kill belongs to Changmin.”

Yoohwan made a face. “I get to shoot second if Changmin misses.”

“He better not miss.”

“I might shoot anyway. The king deserves more than one arrow in his face.”

Footsteps nearby had Yoohwan sitting up. He was quick to pull his hair back up, and unable to help himself, Yoochun ran his fingers down Yoohwan’s neck.

Yoohwan smiled, caught his hand and brought it up to kiss his knuckles. “Love you.”

“You’re my soul.”

Yoohwan chuckled, leaned forward for a quick kiss, and then stood up. A moment later, Heechul and Yunho walked into their small clearing. Yoochun raised an eyebrow because the two of them were usually just as silent as their leader, and then he noticed the bulge at Heechul’s crotch and that Yunho was more holding him up than walking.

“Problems?” Yoochun asked with a laugh.

Heechul licked his lips. “Definitely not.” He moaned and sagged into Yunho.

“Changmin interrupted,” Yunho explained.

Yoohwan laughed.

“Asshole calls for us and then isn’t even here on time.”

“I am,” Changmin said near them, and Yoochun hated to admit that he had surprised them. Changmin was a silent death.

He walked into the clearing and then sat down. He pulled a rolled parchment from his pack and laid it out while the rest of them gathered around. On the parchment was a drawing of the gorge and the plateau. Or one that was close.

Yoohwan tittered. “Why didn’t you wait for me?” he demanded. “The proportions are all wrong and this cave system is not--”

Changmin flipped the parchment over and handed him a slim piece of charchol.

Still grumbling, Yoohwan got to work.

“So what is the plan?” Yoochun asked.

“Smash and grab?” Yunho asked with a grin.

“Shoot and grab,” Changmin corrected. “The king always walks around the festival once. I will position myself in the best spot for a clear shot, and when I have it, I will take it. Yoochun will shoot if I miss.”

“Actually, Yoohwan will do that,” Yoochun said.

Changmin opened his mouth to protest, but really it did not matter which one backed him up. He nodded. “Then you’ll get us out of the caverns without being killed.”

Yoochun shrugged. “Hopefully.”

“This is going to seriously fuck up Jaejoong’s plans,” Yunho said.

Changmin sighed. “It will, but we can’t help it. It has to be done now. Junsu and Junho are going to lay low. Junsu is not going to leave the palace again and pretend to be more injured than he is.”

“So dead,” Heechul muttered.

Changmin ignored him. “Someone at the castle knows that the Twins are plotting. You two,” he pointed at Heechul and Yunho, “have to stay as close to them as you can, without drawing attention to yourselves. As soon as the king is dead, his guards might try to hurt Junsu or Junho. I’d much rather do that part, stay close to them and protect them, because it’s too dangerous.”

“So is your aim,” Yoochun said with a smirk. ~~(line blatantly stolen from Robin Hood Prince of Thieves).~~

“Here,” Yoohwan said, putting the new map between them. Even hastily scribbled, it looked much better than Changmin’s. “I’ll make a cleaner version and copies once we’ve settled on positions.”

Yoochun tapped a spot on the drawing. “This cavern will give you the clearest, cleanest shot, but it’s also the one that is the most open. If the guards suspect our attack, this will be heavily guarded. This ledge is the lowest, and probably the hardest to slip away from.”

“I suggest here,” Yoohwan said, pointing to a spot near the middle of the cliff.

“It’s not a straight shot,” Yoochun argued.

“And the hardest to get to from the plateau itself,” Yoohwan continued. “You’ll have one moment.” He dragged a stick over the map. “The king will walk this way, and from this angle, you’ll get the back of his head or the front, depending on which way he is walking.”

“I don’t like it,” Yoochun said. “It’s not ...”

“I will be here,” Yoohwan continued, and did the same thing from a spot a little to the left of where Changmin would shoot from. “If Changmin misses, I will have a second shot.”

Yoochun crossed his arms and then nodded. “If we’re planning on two shots, this is the best choice.”

“Two shots?” Heechul smirked at Changmin. “Aren’t you insulted that they are insinuating that you will miss?”

Changmin shook his head. “Grateful. I have been known to miss.”

The four of them snorted.


	9. The Fishtailing

**The Fishtailing**  
_The wobbling left and right of an arrow during its flight._

Jaejoong guessed it was good timing. Or bad, depending on the point of view.

As the Prince of the Trees Kingdom, Jaejoong spent the majority of his morning and afternoon sitting in court with his father. His father conducted, and Jaejoong kept silent. He fumed most of the time because he disagreed with his father’s decisions. The king punished even the most innocent of villager for something, charged them an exorbitant fine and threw them in the dungeon if they could not pay it. They were rich because of his father’s selfishness.

The morning dragged on without his father appearing. After an hour, a court aide garnered up the courage to go find the king. Within ten minutes, he was back with armored guards shouting that the king had collapsed in his bathing room. The doctor was sent for, and the guards went right to Jaejoong.

He had no problems showing surprise. His own plans could not take effect for at least two months!

“We suggest you return to your rooms, Prince Jaejoong,” one of the guards said.

Jaejoong nodded but found he could not stand. One guard moved to help him, and Jaejoong waved him away. Luckily, his own guards were there a moment later, and he gratefully accepted Seunghyun’s arm and Jiyong’s support.

He met Taeyang’s eyes and Taeyang nodded. “I will go ahead and make sure everything is prepared.” He ran off.

Jaejoong felt the eyes of the other guards. He was sure that he was going to be the main suspect.

Within only a few moments of being in his rooms, Taeyang returned, scowling.

Jaejoong settled into a chair, and Seungri brought him water.

“He is not dead,” Taeyang whispered.

“Thank the Trees,” Jaejoong murmured.

“The doctor is not sure why he collapsed, but he is breathing and his heart is beating, though a bit weakly.”

Jaejoong rubbed his face.

“If it was poison or if it was an attack, we will find out,” Jiyong said.

Jaejoong nodded. “Daesung, in the back of the middle drawer behind the secret compartment, is a necklace. Take that, run into the trees, alert them.”

Daesung bowed and disappeared.

Jaejoong sagged into the chair, head tilted back. At least Seohyun was safe. Or so he hoped.

<|---------<<<

Dressing as Mountain Farmers allowed Siwon and Kangin to take Junsu almost all the way to the castle gate. Junsu did not need to fake the pain from his wound, and Siwon was muttering under his breath about how he should not be on his feet right then. Kangin ran ahead to a group of soldiers, flailing wildly, telling them the story of him being found almost dead, surrounded by bodies.

The guards did not believe him at first, and then one saw him and shouted, “It is the prince. Bring a cart, quickly!”

Junsu felt himself pale. He staggered against Siwon’s side. Head swimming. It was difficult to breathe. He blinked. Long. Slow, and pain laced up his side again. Somewhere in the melee, Siwon and Kangin blended into the crowd and it was a different face looming over him.

“You’re safe, your highness.”

Junsu highly doubted that.

<|---------<<<

Jonghyun rushed into the room, out of breath and with wide eyes. “Junsu. He’s ... they’ve taken him to the infirmary.”

Junho dropped the quill he had been writing with, ignoring the spill of ink across his desk. He ran faster than his guards, ignoring Jinki’s amused huff behind him. Minho stood at the infirmary doors and he moved to the side and let Junho in.

Junsu lay on a bed, the doctor leaning over him, pursing his lips. His brother’s skin was clammy and pale, but his eyes were open, and that was a great sign.

“Junsu,” he said, voice cracking a little.

Junsu turned his head, the action taking a lot of effort, and then he sort of smiled. “Hyung. Hi.”

“What happened?” Junho whispered and took his hand.

Junsu shook his head.

“Two villagers brought him in,” the doctor said. “They said he was attacked by Maurdering Max’s bandits. They found him surrounded by his guard, all dead, most with arrows in their heads.”

Junho swallowed deeply and nodded. “I will talk to my father about increasing our guards near the borders. This is the fourth attack by Max in only a few months.”

“Prince Junsu will be okay,” the doctor said. “The villagers said they kept him at their home only until he woke up, but felt he’d be safer in the castle, even though they did not want to move him. He’s been stitched up and cared for. The trip to the castle did not reopen his wounds, just sapped all his energy. I do not want him to get out of bed unless he must for at least four days.”

“My guards will take him straight to my rooms. Without his guards, I do not want him unprotected.”

The doctor nodded. “A wise decision. He needs to sleep tonight. I will come check on him in the morning. If he has a fever in the night, have someone send for me.”

“I will,” Junho said.

A moment later, Jinki and Jonghyun were there with a cart the maids used to lug around linens. Turned the other way, it became a flat chair on wheels that Junsu was able to sit on and Junsu was able to push.

“I’m going to talk to the engineers and see if they can make a chair like this with wheels,” Junho said. “It seems like a worthy project.”

The guards were very careful as they lifted Junsu up into the makeshift chair.

“Should we go find the villagers that brought him in?” Jinki asked. “The guards said they disappeared with the crowd. Maybe they were responsible.”

Junho shook his head. “No. If they wanted him dead, they would have left him there. Junsu is safe, and I am not setting soldiers into the woods to face Max. We have a festival to plan and prepare for.”

He tried not to hurry to the privacy of his rooms. He was worried about his brother. He was worried about Max. He was worried about the festival. He was worried about his wife and children and his people, and Jaejoong’s wife, child and people.

As soon as they arrived, Taeyeon directed the guards to take Junho straight to the baby’s room next to Junho’s. She rarely ever used the bed in that room, only when Hyungjoon was fussing, and Junho was actually sleeping in his own bed. She knew Junho very well, and when Junsu lay in the bed, he opened his mouth to start asking questions, but his lovely wife gave him a look that shut his mouth right up, and she crooned to Junsu and told him to sleep. He was so pale, so weak from the trip.

Junsu smiled at her. Or tried to.

Junho wanted to protest, by the Mountains, he needed answers!

But then Junsu took a deep breath, relaxed and shut his eyes. His brother’s health was important. The questions could wait.

“I’m always right,” Taeyeon said and ushered them all out the door.

Junho loved that his wife was always right.

“I’ll stay here,” Minho said, sitting in a chair next to the bed. “This room isn’t nearly as secure as it should be.” He motioned to the windows and the balcony.

Junho stared at Minho for a few long moments.

Minho stared back.

Junho sighed. He trusted Minho with his life. He nodded. “Thank you. Come and get me as soon as he wakes up.”

“I will.”

Junho left the room and went to his desk and the forgotten parchment. He heaved another huge sigh and sank into his chair. A moment later, his wife was in his lap and her lips against his. He allowed the soft kiss, arms going around her waist to hold her steady. He heard the door shut.

“Let me distract you, just for a little while.”

Junho smirked and ran his hand over Taeyeon’s cheek. “You’ve proven again and again that you can distract me for more than just a little while.”

She giggled, actually giggled and went back to his mouth for another kiss.

<|---------<<<

In a sick sense of deja vu, Heechul heard someone moving quickly through the forests. He bit back a groan. He’d just gotten comfortable leaning against a tree. His entire body ached. Yunho had had his legs twisted and then tied with his hands in some weird series of knots that Heechul knew he would not get out of unless Yunho released him. He had rope burns all over his body. His ass fucking stung from the thin switch Yunho had used to smack against his skin.

And now, with his ass throbbing (Yunho was ruthless in fucking him) and his muscles sore, he pushed away from the tree and floated to where the person was moving.

“I do not have the patience for this,” he said loudly, “so either stop or I will make you stop with my arrow.”

The shadow slowed, but did not stop.

“You asked for it,” he said, pulling the arrow back.

“You wouldn’t shoot me, Chullie Whore.”

Heechul grumbled and let the arrow fly anyway. He heard it brush past the hood of the man’s cloak.

“Daesung, fuck you.”

He chuckled. “No kiss hello?”

“What do you want?”

“Talk to Max.”

“He’s out somewhere at the moment. You’ll have to tell me, and then turn around and get the fuck out of my trees.”

He was silent as he moved closer. Heechul did not back away. Soon, they were close enough to kiss.

“The king collapsed,” Daesung whispered. “The doctor does not know why. We are monitoring his health. He is ordered to stay in bed until he regains his strength.”

“Well, fuck. That’s going to fuck things up. Jaejoong cannot be king without an heir.”

“Really? We didn’t know that.”

Heechul twisted his arm and had a knife at Daesung’s throat a second later. “Anything else?”

Daesung took a step backwards. “Why the hate, Chullie Whore?”

“Fuck you. Get out of my trees.”

Daesung smiled, his teeth gleaming in the moonlight. “We’ll keep in touch.” He turned his back on Heechul and slithered away, disappearing into the trees.

Heechul stayed where he was, holding still, until he was alone again, and the arrogant little shit was gone. By the Trees, he hated that guy.

<|---------<<<

“I really don’t understand why you hate him so much,” Yunho said, breath short, body still shaking from his orgasm.

Heechul growled against his neck and flung himself off Yunho’s body and rolled up to his feet, pacing naked in their treehouse. “He’s a jerk.”

Yunho propped up on an elbow and watched him. His other hand ran through his lover’s come on his stomach and he licked his finger clean. The soft morning sun lightened their little paradise, and Heechul walked through the shadows of the leaves outside their windows.

“It’s okay that you hate him. Especially when you ride out your frustrations on my cock. What did he want, anyway?”

“The King of Trees collapsed and the doctor doesn’t know why.”

Yunho’s eyes widened. “Fuck, Heechul. Don’t you think that was more important than--”

Heechul spun around and glared at him. “Nothing is more important than riding your cock.”

Yunho shook his head with a long suffering sigh. “He’s not dead?”

“No, but in bed until he is stronger.”

“Well, fuck.”

“Yep.”

Yunho watched his lover pace for a little while longer before saying, “Love, come back to bed. You’re exhausted.”

“I think we need to send Seohyun home, with Siwon. It’s still too early for her to have the baby, but in another couple weeks, it should be safe. Siwon can--”

“Jaejoong won’t allow him to cut into her. We’ll have to wait.”

“I wasn’t going to say that,” Heechul snapped. “I’m sure Siwon knows how to help a woman go into labor early. There have to be herbs of some sort.” He tilted his head back. His arms went above his head, fingers snagging on his long hair. The perfect slim planes of his body tightened and then relaxed.

Yunho licked his lips, cock swelling again. “We’re not going to do anything until Changmin and the brothers get back from their trip.”

Heechul shook his head. “No, we can’t. This is a fucking mess.”

Yunho chuckled. Running his fingers through more of the come, he said, “So is this. Come clean it up with your mouth.”

Heechul turned to the bed and watch him, eyes narrowing. “Does that mean you’re finally ready for another round, old man?”

Yunho rolled his eyes. “A kiss or touch from you is enough to always have me ready.”

Heechul made a face. “Stupid fucking Daesung.”

Yunho laughed. “Okay, enough. Why do you hate him so much?”

Heechul moved to the bed and sat down, arms crossed. He was only there for a moment before leaning back and using Yunho’s thigh to pillow his head. “Asshole.”

Yunho waited, running his fingers through Heechul’s hair.

Heechul huffed. “Jerk said he didn’t want me. Before Max, you know? He actually said I wasn’t a pretty enough whore for him. I mean, he wasn’t a prince’s guard yet, but he was part of the city guard, and those men always had coin to pay. But he refused. The rest of his team had no problem at all taking turns with me, and I got paid well, but--” Heechul huffed and looked up at Yunho with a glare. “I’m pretty.”

“Gorgeous,” Yunho returned immediately. He pulled at his lover’s arm. “His loss for not seeing that. He’s fucking blind. You’re amazing. Let me use my mouth to show you how pretty every single bit of your skin is.”

Heechul shivered. “Sorry. It’s stupid. It was so many years ago. But every time I see him, he has this stupid fucking smile on his face and I just want to cut it out with my knife.”

Yunho chuckled. “I’ll hold him down for you.”

Heechul smiled and then laughed and followed the now insistent tugs on his arm. He crawled over Yunho. “How about we skip the mouth and you show me how gorgeous I am with me fucking onto your cock again?”

Yunho shivered and nodded. “Beauty and brains, my love.”


	10. The Target Panic

**The Target Panic**  
_The inability to loose the arrow, but more commonly letting the arrow fly before full draw is reached. Once called "archer's catalepsy."_

Junsu slept all night and into the next day. Minho and Jonghyun took turns guarding him. Junho only slept because of his wife’s attentions and demands. She continued to whisper sexy things about finally being inside of her again that had Junho throbbing. By the Mountains, he loved her, even if their marriage had been arranged. Their friendship before had turned into passion after, and it was more than Junho had ever hoped for.

When he stuck his head into the room to check on Junsu, he found his brother awake and sitting up, with his wife next to him, helping him eat something from a bowl.

“Busted,” Junsu whispered with a grin.

Taeyeon smiled over at her husband. “Oh well. You got some food in you before he started interrogating you.”

“Darling,” Junho said and kissed her forehead. “You are such a meddler.”

“I care about his health. You only care about--”

Junho covered her mouth and shook his head. “Not here.”

She licked his hand and Junho smiled, removing it and wiping it off on his pants. “I was going to say orgasms,” she said and nodded with her head to a parchment on the dresser.

Junho took it with shaking hands, and read his brother’s normally neat handwriting, the words wobbling in probably his haste to get it all down.

_Max is taking over. His plan has always been to unite the kingdoms and the only way that is possible is with you and Jaejoong as kings. He told me that we are no longer allowed to plan. We have no idea who is watching us, or who we can trust._

_Max will fulfil our plan. Our part is to hold the festival as we always have. Someone here knows that we are planning something. We need to stop before one or both of us is killed._

_I trust him. Trust me when I say that you can trust him._

Junho swallowed roughly, eyes wide as he looked at his brother.

Junsu said nothing with his words, but his eyes were pleading, his mouth a pout.

Rolling his eyes, Junho said, “This doesn’t explain love.”

“Love?” Junsu said, voice cracking.

Junho smirked. “Yes. Taemin said something about love.”

Junsu’s cheeks flushed and he cleared his throat. “Well, ... I ... we ... After. He promised after, we would ... talk.”

Junho laughed. “After, good. I like after. That means we’re all going to tease you so much after.”

Junsu moaned and buried his face in his hands.

Junho laughed harder and then said, “I will leave you to my wife’s care. I need to get back to Father’s rooms to keep organizing the Festival. I will tell him that you are resting and you will be just fine. Except in the head.”

Had he the energy, Junsu probably would have thrown a pillow at him. Junho ducked out of the door and shut it on Junsu’s loud protest. He met Jinki’s eyes and then glanced at Minho. He had to trust them. He had to. The thought of them betraying him like Junsu’s guards had made him sick to his stomach. But he did not trust them enough to tell them about the Festival of the Stones. He could not risk it. He crumbled up the parchment and tossed it burning embers of his fireplace. The paper caught immediately, burning bright yellow and quick, before the embers went back to smoldering red.

Jinki frowned but he nodded. “There are some details I am still unclear about it.”

“And they will stay that way,” Junho said.

Only Kibum looked disgruntled about that, but Junho understood. Kibum was meticulous with details and he hated not knowing information.

“I trust all of you,” Junho said, “but, I am sorry. Please understand that everyone has a price. I trusted Junsu’s guards too. As soon as I know the exact date of the Festival and the placement of all the vendors and craftsmen, Taemin you’ll take that information to the trees.”

Taemin nodded. “How long?”

“We will know within the next two weeks.”

Junho did not like the idea of his plan being out of his hands. He did not, but with Junsu’s guards dead and his own father suspicious, the two of them had to do everything they could to be as innocent as possible. And if that meant letting Max release that impending arrow, then so be it. If Max was not to be trusted, then they would need another plan, one that happened a bit closer to the birth of Jaejoong’s baby.

<|---------<<<

Jaejoong paced in his room. He had become very familiar with his room over the last five days. With his father still sick, he was barricaded there, for his protection, the guards said, but Jaejoong knew it was because they all suspected him. They had every right to suspect him, he was indeed planning his father’s death, just not this soon!

He ate food and drank water that was brought directly from the source by his guards. He refused to sleep without at least three of them guarding him.

Daesung had reported that he had talked with one of Max’s pretty whores, his word, not Jaejoong’s, because Max had not been available. He did not know anything else.

Which meant that Jaejoong did not know anything else. He tried to be calm, he tried to be patient, but none of it was working.

The door opened, and in flew his little girl.

“Daddy!”

Jaejoong held out his arms for her and swung her up into the air and then held her close, face buried in her black hair. “Minzy baby! What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in lessons?”

“Yep, yep, but Jiyong-oppa said I needed to come and see you.”

Jaejoong smiled over at Jiyong. He had a look in his eyes that said it was more than that. “Well, I am very glad you are here. I did need to see you. Let’s read a book.”

“About dragons and princesses?”

“Sure.” Jaejoong carried her from the sitting room and into his private study. He had a shelf of books just for Minzy, and he let her pick one out.

“Jiyong,” Jaejoong said. “There’s parchment on the desk. Write down a list of things I need to do with my afternoon.”

Jiyong nodded.

Jaejoong sat in his most comfortable chair and Minzy sat in his lap, curled up in a ball. The four-year-old knew her letters and a few short words by sight, but she was not reading just yet. Even though she usually did not stop talking. Jaejoong knew she’d start reading on her own soon. She took after her smart, intelligent, beautiful mother. His chest ached with more than love, more than want. He was sure that arranged marriages were not supposed to be so perfect, but Seohyun was perfect for him. Even as children, they had been best friends and gotten into more trouble than a prince and noble girl should have.

A few minutes into the story, Jiyong stood by the chair with the parchment.

“Hang on, Minzy-baby,” Jaejoong said. “Let me read this.”

_Seungri and I found her with three guards. They said the tutor left her with them, but she shook her head. We did not want to question her where other could hear. We have no idea what they were going to do to or with her. I brought her here to be safe._

“Thank you, Jiyong,” Jaejoong said. “Add a meeting with my father’s advisor to that. Go see if he’ll meet with me.”

Jiyong nodded. “I’ll send Seunghyun.”

Jaejoong had to swallow roughly. He pressed a kiss to his daughter’s head, shoved back his tears, and continued reading the story. He’d focus on the information later, when she was asleep. He’d let himself deal with the fact that someone out there wanted to hurt his baby girl. First with emotions, and then with his sword.

<|---------<<<

Changmin paced in his cabin. It had been too many days since Junsu had left. More than a week, almost the end of the second. And now they had to wait for enough time to pass, for the Festival of Stones.

Changmin had a few spies in every kingdom, so he knew that the King of Mountains still planned on holding the festival despite his youngest son being attacked. He also knew that the King of Trees was still sick, weak and losing more energy every day. The doctors still did not know what was wrong with him.

But they had to get Seohyun back to Jaejoong before he died. Without her there, pregnant and visible, Jaejoong may lose his right to the kingdom before his father died.

Changmin moved to the door and whistled for Yoochun.

He did not have to wait long before both brothers were there. Changmin moved in close to them and let his whisper carry only far enough for them to hear.

“I need you to go talk to Jaejoong,” he said. “We have to get Seohyun back to the Trees Kingdom now. Make sure it is safe for her.”

Yoochun nodded. “We’ll be back before sunrise.”

Changmin gripped his shoulder. “Thank you. Send Siwon to me on your way out.”

The brothers left, melting into the trees. Changmin continued to pace. A few minutes later, Siwon appeared, and Changmin took a very deep breath. “I need you and Yoona to take Seohyun back to her husband. I need to you do anything you can to make that baby come early.”

Siwon’s eyebrows lifted. “That’s dangerous, for the mother and the child.”

Changmin nodded. “I know, but the King of Trees is sick, in bed and dying, and no one knows why. Without that baby ...”

He trailed off and Siwon nodded.

“Take Sungmin and Yuri with you, I’ll probably send Kangin and Hangeng too. The princess must be protected.”

“When?”

“As soon as the brothers return after checking it is safe. So tomorrow afternoon, at the latest.”

Siwon nodded. “I will go prepare.”

Changmin took a deep breath. “Thank you.”

<|---------<<<

Jiyong mentally cursed when a knife suddenly pressed against his neck and a soft voice told him to stop where he was. It was too dark to tell who it was.

“Max wants to bring the princess back now,” a voice whispered, one he recognized.

Micky.

The man who had just sauntered into the castle like he owned the place last time. And was in the royal gardens, obviously undiscovered. How he did it, Jiyong did not know. The voice had come from behind him, not next to him from the one holding the knife, so there were at least two men around him.

“Our attention is focused on the stones and it’s important that the child is born here,” Micky said. “Will she be safe if we bring her back?”

Jiyong fought not to swallow or nod. The knife was so close to cutting his skin. “She will be. We have places to hide her.”

“How is your prince? Our spies have not seen him in his usual places.”

“Jaejoong is confined to his rooms. His father is sick, and Jaejoong is under suspicion. We are looking for evidence to clear him.”

The knife shifted, and Jiyong shut his eyes, waiting for pain. It did not come.

Instead, lips pressed too close to his ear. A brush of breath. The touch of a tongue. “That would be lovely, Jiyong-ah.”

Jiyong growled at the familiar term.

Soft laughter trickled over his skin. “Two nights. Shall we meet here again?”

“Yes. Fine.”

“I’ve already upset my lover enough for the night, but just know that your skin is incredibly sensitive. Whoever gets to share your bed is a lucky, lucky person.”

The presence shifted away, and Jiyong strained to hear footsteps or the man’s direction. He heard nothing until a cricket chirped. He jumped and hurried through the dark shadows of the royal garden and went to go tell Jaejoong that he hated Micky even more than he did before.

A warning whoosh of air had him ducking. A glint of a blade, small but deadly if it had connected. He twisted, around a hedge and moved a little faster, trying to stay silent. Staying still in the gardens meant he could be cornered. He knew every pathway, including the hidden ones, and after a few more breathless moments, he managed to slip through a hidden door and into a servant hallway of the castle.

These hallways were small, but thankfully never dark. He slipped through them easily, seeing only a few maids. By the time he was at Jaejoong’s rooms, he was out of breath and close to panic.

Seungri rushed to fetch him some water.

Jiyong burst into the prince’s room, only mildly apologetic when he woke him up. Jaejoong slept so rarely.

Jiyong waited until Jaejoong had blinked his eyes a few times, completely waking. The small form of his daughter curled on the bed, but she stayed asleep.

“I had a visit in the gardens from your friend Micky. Asshole held a knife to my throat.”

Jaejoong smiled. “Really? The gardens? He and his brother are amazing.”

Brother? Jiyong said. But Micky had said lover. There definitely had to have been more than two of them.

“They are bringing Seohyun back here in two nights.”

Jaejoong’s eyes widened.

“They say their attention is focused on the stones. With your father ill, it is better if she is here.”

“The stones?”

“He did not clarify, but I am assuming he means the Festival of Stones.”

Jaejoong rubbed his face and nodded.

“Oh and someone threw a knife at me in the gardens.”

“What?”

Jiyong shrugged. “I did not try to find out who it was. It could have been Micky or the others with him, but why give me a message and then try to kill me?”

Jaejoong huffed and stood up. “There is not much I can do about some random shadow throwing knives. But I want you guys to watch your back. Only go somewhere alone if you must. Two nights he said?”

Jiyong nodded. “We can bring her in through the north tower.”

Jaejoong stood up, glancing at his daughter with a smile. “It’ll be good to see her again.”

Jiyong agreed. Jaejoong did not take care of himself unless Seohyun demanded it. Maybe his prince would get more sleep even with all the uncertainties bombarding them.


	11. The Nocking Point

**The Nocking Point**  
_The place on the bowstring where you consistently nock your arrows._

**WARNING: This chapter contains rape and incest and a wee bit of gore-y stuff.**

“No,” Yoochun said. “Not happening.”

Changmin narrowed his eyes. “I am not sure it is up for debate.”

Yoochun shook his head. “We cannot bring anyone else, not if you want to do this in secret. There is no way that we can get her in there secretly if there are five of them, let alone having them stay secluded afterward. Half of those you want to send are from the Mountains! Jaejoong is being confined to his rooms because of his father’s health. The princess has to join him. It’s the only place where they will both be safe.”

Yoohwan crossed his arms and said, “We were not seen, but Jiyong was. Someone threw a knife at him while he was going back into the castle.”

Changmin stopped in shock. “What?”

Shrugging, Yoochun said, “We were not able to find out who it was without being seen, so we did not.”

Changmin paced over the worn floorboards of his room. The summer sun cast an orange glow, breaking up the shadows from the leaves.

“Have Siwon tell her what she needs to do, the herbs she needs, and she will take them. We have to leave if we’re going to get there before tomorrow night. We will protect her and keep her hidden. I promise.”

Changmin rubbed his face in his hands.

Yoochun knew that Changmin did not want to send Seohyun with so little protection, but he also did not know that Yoohwan had no problem killing even someone that looked at the princess funny. They had their own trails, their own hideouts, their own security. Built over years of being in these woods.

“She will be safe,” Yoochun assured, and Yoohwan nodded.

“So be it,” Changmin whispered. “You’ll leave in twenty.”

He did not turn back around. Yoochun met Yoohwan’s eyes and nodded. They slipped away, leaving Changmin to his pacing.

Yoochun took Yoohwan’s elbow and steered him away from people and to the edge of the village. His brother smirked, like he knew what was going on. Probably did. Yoochun walked until they were on a backside of an empty cabin. He pushed his brother against the wall and kissed him.

“No time,” Yoohwan whispered.

“Fifteen minutes,” he corrected.

“Not enough time.”

Yoochun hummed but kept their lips together. “Even less time once we leave. Shut up. Let me kiss you.”

Yoohwan shut up.

Yoochun tried not to think too hard about their relationship. Not because it was highly immoral to other people, but because it always made him want to cry. Even before Yoohwan had demanded that first kiss, even before they had run from soldiers, even before their family had been destroyed, protecting Yoohwan had been his number one priority. And he knew that Yoohwan’s number one priority was his safety. They worked well together, learned together, cried together.

Yoochun pulled away, blinking rapidly to keep from crying.

Yoohwan smiled and touched his cheek. “The princess is resting in her room. Go get her. I’ll meet you at the first rendezvous.”

Yoochun took a deep breath and nodded. Their lips touched again. “Love you, darling.”

Yoohwan rolled his eyes, but the arm around Yoochun’s waist tightened a little and then they were separated and going in different directions.

Yoochun did not mind that Yoohwan had not returned the endearment. He usually didn’t. Not unless they were naked and alone and Yoohwan could whisper through his pleasure and into Yoochun’s skin.

There was no one else around the princess’s quarters, but Yoochun knew better than to think she was alone. Ryeowook was watching somewhere. He and Yoohwan were good, but Ryeowook was silent. Perfect. Of everyone in their compound, Yoochun saw and interacted with Ryeowook the least. Hopefully, he knew of this plan and did not try to throw a knife at Yoochun while leading the princess away.

Seohyun was sitting up on the bed when Yoochun walked in.

“Let’s go,” he whispered.

Seohyun frowned and then nodded. She stood up gingerly, body swaying from her pregnancy. Yoochun frowned, mind whirring. It was going to be difficult to travel quickly and quietly with her about ready to have a child. There was a lightweight bag wrapped around her body. Yoochun wanted to carry it for her, but he had to have a clear reach for his bow and his sword.

He stayed next to her, and knew he was going to have to through this entire trip. A few birds whistled, and then another that had his brother’s signature attached to it. The whistle repeated.

Hangeng was following them.

Yoochun wondered why. Had Changmin ordered it, or was he doing what he wanted on his own? With Hangeng, Yoochun never knew.

Yoochun returned the whistles, telling his brother to ignore it, but warn him if anything else happened.

“Those are different codes,” Seohyun whispered.

Yoochun smiled at her. “My brother and I have our own.”

“Of course, you do. I doubt my husband has ever said this, but thank you for saving his life.”

“I save and take lives as they benefit me, so I don’t need to be thanked.”

“Indeed.”

Yoochun’s grin widened.

Silence. Relative silence anyway. With the princess pregnant, she had troubles walking, especially over the uneven parts of the ground. Yoochun and Yoohwan did not use the main trails or even the ones used less often, but walked through woods and across streambeds and rugged slopes. They took turns walking with the princess, who needed many breaks, partly because of the pregnancy and partly because her boots weren’t really that good for hiking.

Yoochun worried about Hangeng, who continued to follow them. The part that worried him the most was not that Hangeng did not answer their whistle or hide the fact that he was following them, but that Yoochun did not know why he was there. Why was he following them?

“I’m sorry I am more trouble than I am worth.”

Yoohwan smirked. “Not you. That kid in you. If it weren’t for him--”

“Him?” Seohyun said with a matching smirk. “So optimistic.”

“It’d better be a him,” Yoohwan said, “or your husband owes us. This is all for naught if it’s another girl.”

Seohyun rubbed her stomach. “Maybe. But she’s still precious.”

Yoohwan glanced at her stomach, and then at Yoochun, his mouth widening into a sly grin.

Yoochun rolled his eyes. “No, Yoohwan. God, what is wrong with you?”

Yoohwan chuckled. “Lunch break over?” He turned his back and headed into the woods.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” Yoochun said, unwilling to tell the woman that Yoohwan wanted to cut the child out of her. His brother was ... well, it was mostly Yoochun’s fault. Sort of. And those Mountain soldiers that killed their family when Yoohwan was only seven.

“Come on. We’re wasting daylight.”

An understatement if there ever was one. It’d never taken Yoochun this long to get to the Trees Castle before. Then again, he’d never traveled on foot with a pregnant woman before. But Seohyun never complained. She was obviously exhausted and obviously beyond her limit, but she trudged on, only accepting his help when she needed it. A strong woman, well fit to be a queen to Jaejoong’s king.

“Jaejoong would be a shit king without you,” Yoochun said.

Seohyun smiled. “Make sure you tell him that.”

“I’m sure he knows.”

The closer they get to the Kingdom of Trees, and once they passed that invisible border in the forest, their conversations dwindle, only spoken out loud when Seohyun needed help. Yoohwan continued to scout. Hangeng continued to follow.

The sun set, burning everything gold and orange. The castle seemed so close, Yoochun catching glimpses of its turrets, towers and walls through the trees, but they were still an hour or so off. Yoochun grew impatient. The first time in a long time he had allowed circumstances beyond his control make his heart race and his feet stumble.

Darkness enveloped them soon, and they slowed. Yoohwan moved closer, his bow out and ready. Yoochun kept his over his back, but stayed loose, ready to grab his sword if he needed to.

The north tower of the castle pushed right up against the trees. There were patrols along the wall, above and below, but very easy to avoid if need be. Yoochun felt eyes on him. Being watched. By Hangeng. Or by others. He was not sure. They stopped, Yoohwan holding out a hand.

Yoochun pushed the princess against a wide tree trunk. He unsheathed a knife and handed it to her.

The castle wall was almost close enough to touch.

Yoochun huffed out a breath, a question for his brother who continued to look all around them. Yoohwan tilted his head to the side.

_Wait._

Yoochun waited.

Footsteps melded with the sounds of the leaves bristling in the wind.

Yoohwan shifted and moved a little closer. His shoulders relaxed, and Yoochun moved next to him. A moment later, he saw three of Jaejoong’s guards. Jiyong, Seunghyun, based on his body, and the other was either Seungri or Taeyang.

A high pitched whistle rent the silence, and Yoohwan had his bow up and pointed to the west. There was a cry and a thud, and then men melted from the trees, going right for the three guards by the wall.

Yoohwan let an arrow go and had another one in the air almost before the first hit their target. Another arrow from the woods hit. Jaejoong’s guards were fighting a group with swords.

And then Hangeng was next to him. “Go,” he said. “Go. Get her inside now! They do not know where you are. Go.”

Yoochun stared at him as Yoohwan took another out with his bow.

“Go!”

Yoochun turned the other way, and said, “Come on. Go.”

Shaking, Seohyun followed him. Instead of the north tower, he went toward the gardens, toward the hidden break in the wall, covered in brambles from the inside. An arrow whizzed by his head and he cursed. Footsteps pounded behind him, and he turned, sword drawn. Before he got a swipe in, the soldier went down, an arrow in his back. Another rushed at him, and this time, his own knife brushed by his face and buried itself in the man’s face.

Yoochun turned to Seohyun, and she said, “Come on!”

The skirmish had been noticed by the castle guards, and the attackers pulled back, into the trees. His brother chased them. Hangeng right behind him.

Yoochun hurried with her, and then Jaejoong’s guards were there, and one of them shouted, “Cover our backs,” and Yoochun stopped, let the princess go with those she trusted, and turned around, bow ready. He stood near the garden wall, completely exposed, skin shaking, heart thumping. He slowed his breathing, his heart rate, everything. And waited. He heard the hurried steps of the guard and the princes, and then those of someone in the trees.

He focused there, waiting. He could not leave until they were inside and safe. Something glinted in the moonlight.

Hangeng stepped out of the trees, his own bow up and ready.

Yoochun did not lower his bow.

“Where is Yoohwan?” Yoochun whispered.

Hangeng smirked. “Not dead.”

“That did not answer my question.”

“No thank you for saving you?”

“Saving us? You knew,” Yoochun said. “You knew they were waiting for us.”

“I suspected, same as you.”

“You knew,” Yoochun stressed. “Who are they?”

“The only ones that benefit if the princess does not have a boy or a baby at all.”

Jaejoong’s uncle, or his nephew who was too young to be king. “Are you part of them?”

Hangeng did not answer, which was answer enough. A spy, in their ranks. Not completely impossible, but almost. Yoochun knew he should keep asking questions, especially about Hangeng’s involvement on why he helped them but was part of the ones that attacked. It probably had to do with money, not loyalty, but none of it really mattered.

“Where is Yoohwan?”

Hangeng snorted. “Not dead.”

And Yoochun let his arrow go. He took off toward the trees at a run. He paused only long enough to pull the arrow from Hangeng’s face and then went into the trees. The night bird calls he used were to tell Yoohwan he was coming, he was on his way. If his brother could even hear him. He ran faster, listening for noises, for anything. He heard them a few minutes later and slowed. Laughter.

Fucking laughter.

Yoochun moved in close. Still just as silent.

“Hangeng said he’d get rid of him,” the other said. “Don’t worry. We still have this one to demand payment from Max.”

Yoochun had to shut his eyes. They definitely had his brother. Naked, bound, and flung over a tree. It looked like they were taking turns. But it all made sense. Or partially. Hangeng had told him to go with the princess to separate them. He’d meant to come back and capture or kill him. For ransom though? There had to be something else. Hangeng knew where their hideout was. Did these men, too?

Yoochun whistled again, just in case Yoohwan was conscious, but if his brother had been conscious, he would have been fighting them off.

There were five of them.

Yoochun had three knives, his sword, and his arrows. But he had no idea if he could get them all before they hurt Yoohwan. He bit his hand hard as another man moved in behind his brother’s limp body. He had to plan, but he could not, his brain was too focused just on his brother. His brother. His brother belonged to him. Just him. He had to get them off and away from them.

It took too long for him to relax and think. Relax and think. Relax and think.

“Hangeng said he’d be right back,” one of them said, worry in his voice.

“He will be. It’s only been a few minutes. A man like these two does not go down easy.”

 _Come on_ , Yoochun pleaded to his brother. _Wake up. Wake up. I need a distraction. Wake up._

Another man took his turn, and Yoochun fought down nausea. He turned it into anger. Into greed. That body was his. Only his.

But he could not move. Not yet. Five were too many. He probably could with his sword, most likely, but with his mind spiraling, he was going to make a mistake. And a mistake with five swords meant his brother was dead.

So he waited and his heart broke again and again as the men traded places.

It was so many years, so many hours, probably only a few minutes later, that Yoohwan finally moaned and then jerked in his bindings with a cry. The men laughed, the one behind him yanked his head back by his hair, and Yoochun whistled. Short, quick, and Yoohwan heard him and started fighting.

One man went toward him with his sword, and Yoochun threw his knife at him, another knife went through the neck of the man holding him, and then his last went into the surprised face of another. And then his bow, and a man shot an arrow toward him that Yoochun did not have to dodge. He took him out with his arrow, and then flung himself from the trees, charging the man that shoved his sword into Yoohwan’s side.

Yoochun sliced his arm off and then lopped off his head.

He fell to the log and pulled his brother close.

Yoohwan winced and said, “Fuck. Hurts. Hyung. I ...”

Yoochun hushed him, and as fast as he could, started pulling clothes off the men. He used his bowstring to tie them down, on Yoohwan’s side, pressing against the wound, and then hefted his brother into his arms. A few steps into the woods and he heard horses. No riders. Just what he needed. He went that way, found fifteen horses tied up. Yoohwan held himself up just long enough for Yoochun to get on a horse and then pull Yoohwan into his arms. He clucked at the mare, and moved as fast through the trees as he dared.


	12. The Barb

**The Barb**  
_A point of an arrowhead that flows back behind the ferrule, preventing the head from being extracted easily. Illegal for bowhunting today._

Taeyang had a shallow, but long wound in his side, like a sword had just nicked him, but swiped up his ribs. Jiyong had a cut on his cheek, dripping blood down his neck.

Jaejoong tried to care, he really did, but the only thing that mattered was his wife. His beautiful, precious, gorgeous wife, in his arms again. Holding her close, breathing in her soul and her tears.

“Missed you,” Jaejoong said, wiping at her cheeks.

He was crying too.

“I missed you,” she whispered and went in for a kiss, despite their audience of guards.

“Mommy!”

Seohyun pulled away enough to smile at Minzy who suddenly ran and pressed against her side.

“Mommy, mommy, mommy!”

“Hi, darling.”

“Let your mom lay down,” Jaejoong said. “She’s really tired.”

“Baby okay?” Minzy asked, hands on her stomach.

“Yes, the baby is okay, but tired. Just like me.”

Minzy took her hand and led her to Jaejoong’s bed. “Sleep here. We’ve been having sleepovers all week!”

Jaejoong smiled and then turned his attention to Taeyang. He touched a hand to his heated forehead. “How’s the slice?”

Taeyang grunted, wincing at the pressure on his side.

“It’s not bad,” Daesung said. “Bad enough, but he won’t die.”

“Do we trust the doctor to stitch him up?” Jaejoong asked.

Jiyong shook his head, hand pressing a cloth against his cheek. “Not anymore. I have no idea who those men were.”

“I can do it,” Seungri said.

“I’ll go get your bag,” Daesung said, and he and Seunghyun left.

Jaejoong left Taeyang to Seungri and Jiyong, and he went to his bed. His beautiful pretty wife, in his bed again. It had to be a dream.

“Take my boots off,” she demanded. “My feet hurt.”

Jaejoong sat at her feet and removed her boots. He smiled and then went to the dressing room for the bowl of water and washcloth. With tender hands, he rubbed at his wife’s swollen feet and cleaned them all the way up to behind her knees. He’d have a chance soon to sit in the bath with her, wipe her arms and stomach. Breasts.

He cleared his throat. Not a good thing to be thinking with so many others in the room.

She smirked, like she knew exactly what he was thinking. Probably. She had always been just as eager to push him into bed as he was to be there.

“Tell me what happened,” Jaejoong whispered. He was aware of Minzy listening, but he needed the girl to understand that they were all in danger.

Seohyun did, starting from when she was kidnapped, rescued by the last person she expected to rescue her, through her stay with Max and clear to this battle under the North Tower, including when she threw the knife into the man’s face.

“We do not know where Micky, Ricky or the other one are,” Jiyong said. “They chased the unknown soldiers into the trees.”

Jaejoong rubbed his face in his hands. “This is ridiculous. The only one that would benefit from you dying is my uncle, but he’s told me to my face that he does not want to be king, and Taehyun is only fifteen!”

“Your uncle could be lying,” Jiyon said.

“In my bag,” Seohyun said and pointed. “Siwon gave me herbs to take, to induce me, have this baby early. If it’s a boy, then your uncle should back off, if it’s him that’s doing this”

Jaejoong shook his head. “I do not want you to take them. We do not know if he can be trusted. We don’t know if anyone can be trusted. And even if the baby does come early, he may send someone to kill it.”

Seohyun opened her mouth to argue and then shut it. “You’re right. But I am not having this baby for another month. So much can happen in that time.”

“It could come early.”

“Maybe.”

Jaejoong pulled her close and kissed her. “I love you. I love you so much. I’m so very glad you’re home.”

She smiled and tears fell down her cheeks. “I love you, too. Never thought I’d be in love with the little brat that shoved mud into my face when we were teenagers.”

Jaejoong nodded. “Same, but by the Trees, Seohyun, I am the luckiest man in our world.”

“Micky said you were going to be a shit king without me.”

“I would. I’m a shit prince, a shit person, just a pile of shit, without you.”

They kissed again, until Minzy asked, “What’s shit?”

There was silence in the room, and then they all laughed, and Jaejoong ruffled his daughter’s hair. “Everything. Right now. Everything. Except this. With you. With your mother.”

Minzy made a face. “Daddy, that makes no sense.”

Jaejoong smiled at his wife. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

<|---------<<<

Changmin paced as the afternoon sun trekked across the sky. The brothers should have been back by now. He watched the people of his compound move through their day. Their little society was booming. They were going to have to add another well soon. Maybe another compost pile. But that would wait after the Festival of Stones. If he died ... well, then these people were free to do what they wanted with their little village.

But something was wrong. Changmin knew it. The brothers were never late.

He whistled for Heechul, who arrived a few moments later with Yunho right behind him. Instead of talking, Changmin used hand signals.

_M and R still gone. Problems?_

Heechul’s eyes flashed and he glanced toward the Kingdom of Trees.

 _Search?_ Yunho asked.

Changmin rubbed his face in his hands and nodded.

_Take Hangeng with you_

_Hangeng gone._

“What?” Changmin asked.

Heechul shrugged. _Didn’t check in last night. Don’t know where he is._

Changmin cursed. _Find M and R._

The two of them nodded and left. Changmin stared toward the Kingdom of Trees for a little longer and then looked the other way, toward the mountains. Toward the stones. He hoped that Junsu was okay.

<|---------<<<

Heechul did not like the sound of nothing. The woods were quiet, too quiet. But it was hot outside. The height of the day. Birds, real birds, chirped. Animals shuffled around. Normal. But too quiet.

He whistled for Yoochun, first using their secret one and then the one that Changmin used for him.

There was no answer.

“We aren’t close enough,” Yunho said. “That’s all.”

“We’ve been out here for an hour.”

“You are so impatient, love. Don’t worry. They probably just sequestered themselves off somewhere to be alone. They do that a lot.”

Heechul sneered. “Disgusting.”

Yunho snorted. “That they’re in love?”

“Shut up. They can’t be.”

“Then it’s just lust, something you know all too well.”

“Fuck you.”

“Stop this,” Yunho said. “I don’t care what they do with each other as long as they don’t shoot me in the back, and I trust them not to. They’re part of our team.”

Heechul flung his hand at him in dismissal. “Which is why I am out here looking for them. Shut your mouth.”

Yunho frowned and Heechul huffed, and sped ahead of him. Smart, Yunho did not try to catch up to him, but matched his pace. Heechul led them off the main trail. He knew that the brothers rarely took the trail, not when they knew these woods like the back of their hands. Or each other’s mouth.

Heechul sneered. Sure, he had been a whore, but he’d had never, ever touch his sister the way those two touched each other. And they thought it was a secret. Some of the underlings probably didn’t know about them, but anyone with two eyes and a brain in their skulls should have noticed it right away.

He whistled every fifteen minutes. And then every ten. Yunho whistled too, his sound going a bit further out than Heechul’s.

The sun was setting when they finally got an answer. But not quite. Obviously it was not a bird, but the pattern of whistles did not make sense.

They met each other’s eyes and headed west, into the setting sun, toward the noises. Heechul whistled first Yoochun and then Yoohwan’s codes.

Again, a call, this one a bit more clear. It was Yoochun, a panic call, followed by something that sounded like, “Hurry up, hurt.”

Yunho ran, Heechul moved a bit faster, guarding his back carefully, keeping his ears open for other noises. He did not necessarily like the brothers, but as Yunho said, they were part of the team. If they had been attacked, who knew if there were others around in these forests.

When they finally found them, Heechul almost wished they hadn’t. Yoochun was distraught, next to his brother’s bloody body.

Dead? Maybe. He couldn’t tell. It took Yunho a long time to pry Yoochun away. Heechul snagged the eldest brother and yanked, ignoring his scream of pain and anguish, while Yunho checked Yoohwan. There was a deep wound in Yoohwan’s side. There was a horse nearby. Dead, but why?

“Fuck,” Yunho shouted. “Heechul. Run back. Hurry. Bring horses, Siwon, a cart. Hurry. Hwannie is dying. Go.”

Heechul needed answers, but he wasn’t stubborn or selfish enough to demand them. He turned around and ran, whistling for help as soon as he was close enough to the compound to be heard.

He got a few responding whistles, but it was Changmin’s call that he waited for. He called for Siwon, Kangin, Ryeowook, everyone he could, until Changmin intercepted him in the woods.

“No time,” Heechul said. “Tell the others to get a horse and a cart. Yoohwannie is dying.”

Changmin swore and followed Heechul on foot, whistling the commands for the others to follow. It was too much time, and Heechul feared they’d be too late. It’d seemed they walked so far before, but now, running, the forests and path blurred by him, narrowing down to just being there, on time, fast enough.

Changmin fell to Yunho’s side, asking for an update.

Heechul went to Yoochun, who was leaning against a tree, eyes on his brother’s form. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Ankle,” Yoochun said. “Broken, twisted, hurt. Just ...”

Heechul tittered at him and went to his ankle. He unlaced Yoochun’s boot, but his foot was too swollen to take it off. He ended up using his knife, cutting through the thick leather and horsehair lacings. His skin was purple and the foot from ankle to shin was about twice its normal size.

“Tell me what happened,” Heechul demanded while ripping up the pants on that leg. He snapped at someone for water, and then dipped the cloth into it before pressing and tying them around Yoochun’s ankle.

Yoochun winced at the pressure and the coldness. “Don’t ... know. Just ... the horse bolted and threw us.”

“And before? Yoohwan did not get that sword wound from falling off a horse.”

Yoochun scowled. “Hangeng.”

“What?”

He cleared his throat. “I have no idea who he was working for, but I put an arrow through his face after he and his group tried to kidnap Yoohwan.”

“The princess?”

“Safe, the last I saw her.”

“You aren’t making sense. Start over.”

He started at the beginning, when they noticed Hangeng following them, and then at the wall of the North Tower, when they were attacked by fifteen. He gritted his teeth through the telling of Hangeng separating them, and then of Hangeng revealing he was working with those who attacked on orders from Jaejoong’s uncle.

“But you didn’t verify all this and just killed them all,” Heechul said.

“They were raping him, so fuck you.”

Heechul sighed. He slapped his leg, and smirked at Yoochun’s yelp. “I need to go get some thick branches to brace your leg. Don’t move.” He stood up and went to some nearby underbrush.

“Could still take you out with an arrow, pretty whore.”

“Micky!” Yunho shouted from where he and Siwon and Changmin were working on cleaning and stitching Yoohwan’s side.

Heechul waved it away. “He called me pretty, so it’s okay.” He took a couple of branches and then went back to Yoochun. “I don’t think your bones are broken, but I’m sure I can fix that.”

“Fuck you.”

“Siwon will have to look at it after the swelling goes down. What happened to the horse?”

Yoochun bit his lip as Heechul wrapped the branches with more cloth, immobilizing his leg all the way up to his knee. “Don’t know. Something spooked her; she jolted and threw us. She broke her leg. Had to ... had to cut ... stop her suffering.”

Heechul frowned. “Even with a broken foot, you did that?”

Yoochun’s eyes shut, a tear finally falling, and Heechul paused, staring wide eyed and slack jawed. Yoochun ... was ... crying. Yoochun. Micky Yoochun, who could slit someone’s throat without thinking twice.

“Stop that,” Heechul said and patted his cheek. “Men are only allowed to cry when they’re are born and when they’ve been stung by a bee.”

Yoochun sort of smiled and sort of sobbed, and Heechul shook his head and continued wrapping his leg.

<|---------<<<

Despite Siwon’s suggestion (and subsequent protest), Changmin put both Yoohwan and Yoochun in one bed. Yoohwan rested better next to his brother and Yoochun would not rest unless he always knew how Yoohwan was resting.

One hand stayed against Yoohwan’s side.

Changmin watched them from the doorway. Both were asleep. Yoohwan, much like Junsu, would need lots of rest. His chances of waking were much better than Junsu’s, but infection was still a high concern.

“I get it,” Yoochun said, voice gravely.

And okay, maybe they both weren’t asleep.

“Get what?” Changmin asked.

“You asked me before, if I knew what it felt like to see your heart yanked from your chest with no way of knowing when it will return. I get it now.”

Changmin cleared his throat. “I’m sorry that you had to find out.”

Yoochun twisted his upper body, face turning toward his brother’s. “The Festival of Stones is in one week.”

Changmin sighed. “I know.”

“Do not miss.”

“I won’t.”

Changmin blinked and turned away, not wanting to watch Yoochun watch his little brother. He wiped at the tears and headed for his own room.


	13. The Ascham

**The Ascham**  
_A tall, slender wooden case used to hold bows and arrows. Pronounced "ask-am."_

Jaejoong paced the room. Both his wife and daughter were resting. Both of them stayed in the room. Only two of the guards left at a time. Taeyang was healing well, sleeping in a cot near the door. He insisted on having a knife with him at all times, just in case.

Jaejoong hated how much his family was in danger. Even in this little room, it’d be so easy to overtake his guards, slit all their throats. He had a feeling that no one would stop an attack.

Another month. In this room. He might go crazy.

His father was not getting better, losing energy every day. He rarely got out of bed. Decline. Slow, but a decline. He glanced at his wife. And then at her bag. The herbs. Maybe. Siwon was a palace doctor. A Mountains Palace doctor. Was he a spy? Did he have his own machinations? But what did the King of Mountains gain if the princess died?

Kidnapping her, yes. Jaejoong understood that. He would have definitely paid a ransom for her out of his meager funds. Anything to keep her and his newest child safe. Boy or girl. He desperately wanted a boy, but he would not love the child any less if it was another girl.

But by the Trees, he hoped it was a boy.

The Festival of Stones was only a few days away. If his father could hang on for a few more weeks. Just a few more.

<|---------<<<

Junho paced his room, moonlight shining on his naked skin. His wife lay asleep, and quite pleasured if he could give himself some self-praise. Taeyeon was beautiful and perfect. Would she be safe on the day of the festival? He had plans to have at least one of his guard stay with her. Maybe two. But he and Junsu needed to be protected. He knew that he could not trust his father’s guard.

He planned on walking the Festival armed to the teeth, hidden knives along with his sword. He would not carry an ornamental one, but one ready to kill anyone that tried to hurt him or his brother, before or after the king was killed.

Junho shut his eyes and stopped, centering himself. He constantly stopped the thoughts of his father dead. He said that he was going to kill the king, not that he was going to kill his father. He avoided that.

But there, alone, vulnerable, and naked, he forced himself to remember the father that had raised him, the father that had taught him to shoot a bow, the father that had taught him how to wield a sword. The father that had taught him to remember his family, remember his people, remember his duty and responsibility.

When had his father forgotten all of that? When had his father turned into the king that now led them into the ground and taxed their people to pay for wars with the kingdom across the forests?

Junho felt a tear on his cheek almost at the same moment that arms wrapped around his waist.

“All will be well, my love,” Taeyeon whispered.

He gripped her wrists where they were on his stomach. “I hope so.”

She pulled him back toward the bed, and he followed her easily beneath the sheets, to forget a few more times.

<|---------<<<

Yunho trailed his fingertips in a pattern of hearts and flowers over his lover’s flat stomach. They had said nothing, done nothing but breathe for almost a half hour. That was almost a miracle, considering his bed partner. Yunho did not mind. He smiled as Heechul shifted, arching into the touches when he attempted to pull his fingers away.

It stayed silent, with only the trees creaking in the night.

“We’re leaving in the morning,” Heechul whispered.

“Yes.”

Changmin’s plan was to have them already in the Mountains Kingdom, so they could walk with the crowds to the gorge. Changmin would not take his position until the morning of, after the guards had patrolled the caverns around the gorge. They usually did, according to Taemin who had been there a few days ago to tell them of the route.

“I’m not sure that I can focus on our job if you’re in danger,” Heechul said.

Yunho smiled widely. “Really? Why is that?”

Heechul grumbled. “No reason.”

With a laugh, Yunho moved his body on top of Heechul’s and went for his mouth. Heechul’s legs wrapped around him just as they kissed, and Yunho rocked against his body. “Tell me and I’ll fuck you again.”

“You’ll fuck me again anyway.”

Yunho started to pull away and Heechul’s legs tightened around him, his hands went into Yunho’s hair. “I love you,” Heechul said, voice hitching.

Yunho felt his throat closed and instead of whispering it back, he pressed a firm kiss to his mouth and pressed back inside his lover.

<|---------<<<

Changmin left Kangin and Leeteuk in charge. Normally it would go to Heechul and Yunho, or even Hangeng, but his ranks were a mess right now. He trusted Kangin with his life, like he trusted most of them. He had not trusted Hangeng, not completely, though he did wonder at his methods. Had he really been working for the King of Trees? Or Jaejoong’s uncle?

Changmin disappeared into the trees. With life in the village going on as normal, Changmin had to center himself. With trees, with hunting, with the woods that were his home. The rivers and ponds and animals and plants.

It usually worked.

Maybe because of his task it was not working this time. The festival was only two days away and Changmin paced, back and forth, his footsteps loud in the silence of the forests. He was far enough away from the compound not to garner attention, but still not close enough to alert any Mountain guards. He hoped.

Normally, on a stakeout like this, he would already be in position, getting familiar with the terrain, taking a few practice shots. But he could not. The soldiers always cleared the caverns before the Festival, before setting up their own security in the caves. He had to wait until only a few moments before.

And he no longer had backup. Yunho and Heechul would protect the princes and slit a throat or two if need be, but the shot belonged to him. He only had one. He could not miss.

He would not miss.

<|---------<<<

Morning sun spilled into the room. Jaejoong sipped at a warm cup of tea. His wife and daughter lay on the bed, talking about something related to fashion, Jaejoong was not sure. He had not been listening.

A loud knock echoed in the room, and then the door opened. Seungri and Seunghyun pulled their swords.

The king’s advisor bowed at Jaejoong. “You are needed in court, Prince Jaejoong.”

Jaejoong narrowed his eyes. “I am confined to my rooms.”

He shook his head. “Your father has not been conscious for two days. The courts are overflowing with duties. You have been in here since your father collapsed and there is no way that you are causing his illness. The council and I need you in court.”

Jaejoong looked at his guards and at Jiyong’s nostrils flaring with irritation. He stood up and said, “I will dress appropriately and be there for court at ten.”

The King’s Advisor bowed and turned around, heading back down the hall with a few castle guards behind him.

“This could be a trick,” Jiyong said.

Jaejoong nodded. “Go verify it while I dress.”

Jiyong took a deep breath and nodded. “Seungri!”

“Do you need me to come?” Seohyun asked and struggled to sit up.

Jaejoong shook his head. “Stay here. I need you and Minzy protected at all costs.”

“But you’ll throw yourself out in front of an assassin's arrow?”

Jaejoong paused and said very carefully, “A king is always the target of an assassin’s arrow, but that does not mean he is allowed to shirk his duties to his kingdom.”

“Don’t be sensible when I am worried about you.”

Jaejoong chuckled. “You’re usually the sensible one, even when there is danger.”

“Pregnancy messes with your mind.”

Jaejoong leaned over his wife and kissed her lips. “Please stay here with Minzy, okay?”

She nodded. “I will.”

Jaejoong went into the next room and dressed in the finer clothes that he had not touched for the last few weeks. He worried about his father. Unconscious for two days? That did not sound like he was going to be better. And how much would the King’s Advisor attempt to thwart his ideas in court? He had always hated the way his father punished even the smallest infraction. He had his own ideas on how best to deal with those who could not pay rather than throw them in the dungeon, but to what level would there be resistance from those in the court?

And the timing, how was that a factor? The Festival of Stones was the very next day. Junho would be king if everything went according to their plans. Jaejoong had no idea what was going on with Max. He could not risk sending one of his guards into the trees to find out, and Max had not sent Micky or Ricky to tell him of any changes. He had to go on like always, and he had to pretend that he had no idea what was going. Easy, since he did not.

Jaejoong draped his deep green prince’s cloak around his shoulders, just as Jiyong and Seungri returned.

Jiyong frowned and nodded. “The king is unresponsive. His heartbeat is slow.”

Jaejoong took a very deep breath to center himself. “Very well. Seunghyun and Seungri will stay and watch over my family and Taeyang. You and Daesung will come with me to court.”

His guards acknowledged the order and Jaejoong went to his wife for one more kiss. Hopefully, not their last.

<|---------<<<

Junsu leaned against the stone window of his borrowed room and sighed. The moon was full, throwing light all over the Mountain Kingdom. He looked over to the east, toward the Stone Plateau.

Was Changmin already there? Had anything horrible happened to stop this from happening? What if Changmin had betrayed him?

Junsu shook his head and bit his lip against a whimper. No way. No way. Changmin would never do that. Changmin loved him. Wanted him.

Junsu buried his face in his arms and fought back tears. His body still hurt a little, but it was his heart that was throbbing and cracking. Changmin loved him. If those had been words, fake to weaken him, to betray him ... Well, there was not much that Junsu could do about it except continue on.

Everything would be revealed tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

A hand gripped his shoulder and he jumped in surprise. It was Taemin, and Junsu took a deep breath that only made his chest tighten not loosen, and he pressed his face against the soft cloak covering Taemin’s chest to hide his tears.

Taemin said nothing and hugged him. It was only a few minutes later, that Taemin’s arm were replaced by his brother’s.

“We can’t do this,” Junsu gasped. “We can’t, Ho, we can’t.”

Junho lifted Junsu’s face away from his chest and wiped at his cheeks. “We don’t have to. You trust him.”

Junsu blinked and tried to pull his face away. “I don’t know who to trust anymore.”

“Trust me,” Junho said.

Junsu nodded. “Duh, hyung.”

Junho’s grip tightened. “If this fails, if it does not work, for whatever reason, then I will do it myself. You understand. You’ve already been injured, hurt, in pain. I will not allow it to happen to you again.”

Junsu gripped Junho’s wrists.

“You trust him. If you did not, you would not be so worried.”

Junsu let out a slow breath.

“Do you trust him?”

“Y-yes,” he stammered. “Yes. I-I trust him.”

Junho pressed a kiss to his forehead. “So do I. We need to sleep. We cannot let anyone suspect anything. Come to my bed, okay? You’ll sleep better if you aren’t alone.”

Junsu nodded. “T-thanks, hyung.”

<|---------<<<

Changmin stood on a large rock jutting out from the ground. One side of it dropped off in a ragged cliff, and the other side curled up in a smooth surface. It was like the Gods of the Mountains took a giant saw and cut it right in half but kept the other half for some other use and left this half just sitting here in the middle of the trees. The sun rose behind him, bathing everything in whites and golds.

Just a few hundred feet to the west was the gorge and the Stone Plateau. If he listened, he could hear the echoes of the vendors setting up their stalls. The morning was quiet and calm.

Changmin pressed his bow to the stone and leaned on it for only a moment. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath of morning air. The king would walk around the Festival before noon, in front of the judges who would decide which crystals and stones were the best of the Festival.

If everything went according to plan, there would not be a winner this year.

Changmin stared to the west for a little longer. Silent, swift, centered. In control. Changmin slipped down the curved part of the rock. He put his bow on his back and moved toward the noises, disappearing within the trees.


	14. The Archer

**The Archer**  
_One who shoots with, or is skilled in the use of, a bow and arrow._

Junsu stood as still as possible next to his brother. A cool wind blew through the gorge, ruffling colorful tents and elaborate dresses. The deep blue cloak around his body billowed with a sudden, stronger gust. The fur cuff of his brother’s matching cloak furled against his cheek, and Junsu shut his eyes, enjoying the soft touch for a moment before his brother pulled the cloak around him, belting it to hide his sword. And the knife at his belt.

Junsu knew there was a knife hidden at this wrist and one in each of his boots. All Junsu had was his ornamental sword. Good for defense, but not offense. His brother had not allowed him to carry more weapons.

They both had been searched by his father’s guard, but Junho refused to remove the knives that they had found. He used the attack on Junsu as his reasoning and the guard relented. But there were suddenly more of them around, like they would protect the king. Junsu did not blame them, not after his own guards had been killed. The king suspected some form of treason from the brothers. Junsu suspected they had only been allowed to come to the Festival to keep up appearances.

Junsu swallowed roughly. Did they know? Was this all for naught?

And then he met the eyes of a man that he recognized. One of Changmin’s. His name was Heechul. Very pretty. His long hair billowed in the wind, just as the cloaks and tents and flags. He smirked, a knowing look that had Junsu’s spine tingling. Was he on their side? Was he angry enough to kill them? What about Changmin? Had he already been killed and this man was here to finish them off? But he was dressed as a palace guard. Was that only to get closer to them?

“Prince Junsu?” Taemin whispered and touched his arm.

Junsu jumped and looked at him, eyes wide.

“Are you well enough for this?” Junho asked.

Junsu met his brother’s eyes and nodded. “Sorry. I’m a little tired, but I should be okay for the walk.”

Junho lifted an eyebrow, and Junsu figured he meant their plan. If Junsu gave him a sign, Junho would stop it. He knew he would. Just for him. Even though it was their kingdom, his kingship, at stake. His brother had always done everything for him. Despite everything else.

“I’m fine,” Junsu said and smiled. “It’s a nice day.”

“A bit of wind,” Junho muttered.

“A cool breeze from the mountains,” Junsu said. “It’ll make the gorge cool as well.”

The trumpets suddenly sounded, heralding the start of the walk. The two princes stood behind their father. The sunlight sparkled through the jewels of the crown on his head. His heavy cloak was sky blue, lined with gray fur. His eight guards formed a semicircle around him. Junsu and Junho’s guards did the same behind him. They were meant to keep the crowd from getting to close to the king. Security, sure. But a shot from afar, there was no security from that.

Junsu had to take one more deep breath, shut his eyes for a moment, and then his brother nudged him and they walked, following behind their father, through the small entrance to the gorge and toward the plateau where the vendors and tents were set up.

Crowds of their villagers already lined the main walkway through the plateau. They all parted and made way for the king. Junsu worried for their safety.

_But Changmin will not miss. He will not!_

The vendors not participating in the contest were selling their own wares and crystals. Junsu loved the Festival so much. It was always a chance to see their people and be prideful of their skills.

But the last five years, there were fewer competitors in the Festival and more merchants, almost desperate to sell their goods because of the heavy taxes that the king had imposed. That was the point, and something that Junsu had to remind himself of with every step he took.

His gaze wandered up to the rocks above them.

Junho distracted him with comments about the sparkling gemstones.

It helped. Mostly. The thing that helped the most was seeing absolutely nothing but rock and trees.

Because if he could see Changmin, then so could the guard.

The king started his appraisal of the gemstones, picking up the heavy colored crystals. A few he held up to the light.

Junho had once said that there was no validity to the king’s choice of a winner. He had suspected for a long time that the winners had bribed the king with the most gold and jewels. Junsu did not doubt that. The Festival was a grand excuse for the king to squeeze even more money from their people.

<|---------<<<

Jaejoong sat, not upon the king’s throne because the king was still alive, but on his own chair, settled on the rise lower than the throne. He did not mind. It kept him closer to the people. Two days of court. The king’s advisor had been right. There were so many cases to hear, so many people to meet since court had been postponed for so long.

Jaejoong still had not caught up yet.

But he noticed a difference, in only two days. It was not completely silent between cases. The soldiers and those waiting their turn to speak with Jaejoong chatted and actually laughed. He heard snippets of conversations, about the weather, the crops, the village. It wasn’t all positive, but Jaejoong did not expect it to be. Not yet.

So far, Jaejoong had done his best to follow his father’s ways, but only because the king was not dead. He did not charge exorbitant fees for small infractions though. Or he tried not to. Every time a young family or an injured man was brought up for not paying taxes, Jaejoong did not throw them in prison or add even more money to their debt, and he most definitely did not strip them of their belongings to hawk at a market.

He did his best to send them to the court treasurer, speak with him about the money they had, the things they may be able to sell, right at this moment. He granted extensions on small debts and made monthly payments smaller on the larger ones. In the case of some of them, he told them they could work off their debt in the castle for a few months.

The king’s advisor said nothing about these changes. Though, few times, he pursed his lips in disapproval. He kept careful records of the cases, just in case the king’s health improved and he wanted to change any of the verdicts. Jaejoong expected that, but if the king’s health did not improve, the ledger would prove as evidence for other cases.

The only case that Jaejoong did not budge on was a grievance from a farmer in the outer reaches of their kingdom. His neighbor had overrun his the man’s land, charged them protection money and took their daughter when he refused to pay. Jaejoong threw that evil man in the dungeon and parceled his land out to the neighbors he had been terrorizing. He sent three court-appointed magistrates and four soldiers back to the lands to divvy it up fairly. He promised to visit within the month to be sure that all ways running smoothly.

His father would have done the opposite and allowed the man to keep the stolen land and daughter on the grounds that everyone should protect themselves. But Jaejoong knew that was the king’s job. He was in charge of protecting all his people.

All of them, including Jiyong who suddenly barged into the audience hall, calling for Jaejoong. There was blood on his clothes, dripping to the floor.

“S-Seohyun,” he stammered and then collapsed.

Jaejoong rose from his chair and rushed out of the room, shouting for someone to tend to Jiyong.

<|---------<<<

Changmin entered the caverns far below the plateau. He had watched from a tree while soldiers moved through entrances and exits, but like Yoohwan said so many weeks ago, there were so many ways to get into the gorge without being seen that Changmin knew, hoped, prayed that he’d be able to get out unscathed.

He had an hour. He mapped the path in his head. As soon as the guard disappeared from a particular entrance at the south, Changmin moved. Silent. A blur of green and brown. He slipped into the calm of the cavern and stopped near the edge to let his eyes adjust to the sudden darkness.

He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He did not need to hurry. Not yet. Hurrying now meant possibly running into more guard closer to his destination. The stone dampened sound except the faint whistle of wind through its maze. He felt the coolness of the stone through his thin boots.

Silent, compared to a few weeks ago when Yoochun and Yoohwan had led him through the same place. Yoohwan had this entire system imprinted in his mind, much like anything else. The boy could have been a king’s scholar or a university professor had the King of Mountains not ordered his village to be slaughtered and kickstarted the brothers’ need for revenge.

The faint trickle of water led him a bit further in. He stopped by a rock to eat herb bread and some cheese. Being hungry meant shaking. Shaking meant missing. He pressed his lips to the stream of water on the rock and let the cool, fresh water coat his lips and throat.

Moving deeper into the caves, he listened for approaching footsteps or clinking armor or loud voices. He watched for the glow of a torch. He had not brought one of his own. Again, Yoohwan had him memorize the number of steps, the turns, leading him both with a torch and then without just in case they were separated before they wanted to be. Changmin walked this path over and over. Days on end, until Changmin knew exactly how to get where he needed to be and then exactly where he needed to get out. He hoped.

A steep slope led him up. The rock bit into his gloves, scraping in the silence. Loose stones skittered behind him. He paused at the top, just to take a few deep breaths, calm his heart. A tempting ray of light shined up ahead, seeping through a small slit in the rocks. Just under it was a tight, long shaft that spelled a slow, long death for anyone that fell into it.

Before the light, Changmin squeezed around a ledge and into another narrow cavern. The rock walls pressed in tight against him and he had to turn sideways to make it, but after only a few feet, the cave opened up around him, leading him around a water-filled basin. Here too were streams of light from above, sparkling on the water that moved slowly into another shaft before disappearing.

His position outside of the cavern was a few hundred feet up and to the east. It took a few long moments to navigate the climb by himself, without Yoohwan or Yoochun behind him to help. But he managed, and then twisted through a few more winding pathways.

He did not know how much time he had, but he forced himself not to hurry. He’d timed this route again and again. Being in the dark and in the caves screwed with your mind if you let it. Changmin stayed calm.

Only once did he hear boots and the loud, obnoxious laughter of guards not doing their job. It was easy to slip past them, silent and sure.

When he turned the final corner and sunlight brightened everything ahead of him, Changmin stopped and walked even slower, letting his eyes adjust to the difference. Near the archway of the cave, Changmin stopped completely. He leaned against the cool wall, kept his breathing steady, and waited for one noise, one signal. He feared only for a moment that he had missed it, but he calmed his heart and trusted his sense of timing and his preparation for this moment.

Minutes later, it sounded: trumpets heralding the walk of the king.

Changmin pushed off from the rock and moved through the opening. Once again, the brightness of the sun had him pausing for a few precious seconds. Possibly in view of people, but he had to make sure his vision was clear. The sky brightened blue above him. The wind caught his hair and clothes.

The wind.

He dropped to his hands and knees and then his arms and body, shimmying toward the edge. A single rock protrusion provided shelter from anyone’s vision. He hoped.

He waited, listened to the noises of the vendors, and tried to get a feel on the wind. He removed his bow and a single arrow from his quiver. These arrows did not have their normal fletching on them, just white and brown feathers. He had absolutely no desire to be blamed for the king’s death later on.

With his heart and breath level enough, Changmin pushed up to his knees. He kept his eyes on the procession, fought the urge to just stare at his beautiful, beautiful Junsu. The prince looked pale, even from here, and Changmin hoped he was healing well. Junho looked pissed off, eyes darting all over the place, glaring at every merchant. Changmin spotted more than one weapon on him. Junho was ready, if Changmin failed. He spotted Heechul and Yunho, also, near enough to the princes to look like normal soldiers controlling the crowd.

Everything was set just in case he missed.

But the king, with his every present arrogant smirk, held Changmin’s attention. He had one shot, one spot, where even with a bit of wind, he would not miss. He strung his bow, a quick practiced, calming movement.

He checked the king’s progress again and picked up the arrow. The arrowhead had a barb on the end, so it’d do even more damage being pulled out than it did going in. Just in case.

Timing was everything.

Changmin stood up, calm even though he was in clear view of anyone watching. He nocked the arrow, pulled the string back, and waited, just a few more seconds. He had his spot, memorized with the information Taemin had brought him and from the days he spent on this cliff before hand.

And just as planned, the king was near enough to that spot when he stopped, talking with a vendor. He lifted a large gemstone. Blue. A light sparkled through it. But that moment of stillness was all Changmin needed.

He released his arrow.

The white feathers on the end spun like a snowflake in a gale.

Sure of its mark, Changmin dropped down below the rock, no need to see the end result. If he missed, well, then that was what Yunho and Heechul were for. He was already on his escape route when the sudden clamor of the crowd reached him. He hoped he had not missed.


	15. The Quiver

**The Quiver**  
_A container that holds arrows conveniently while hunting and/or shooting._

Jiyong leaned against the wall next to the door of the prince’s room. Seungri stood on the other side. The night before, they’d heard someone on the balcony of the prince’s room, since then, one of them had always stayed inside, awake. The five of them took watches during the night. Jiyong had been up most of the night, and now, guarding the future queen during the day, he fought off a yawn.

He had been in court part of the morning with Jaejoong too. Things seemed to be going well. The other officers including the king’s advisor did not interfere with Jaejoong’s rulings or suggestions. The whispered conversations of the people and in the village over the last two days had been optimistic with a bit of disbelief.

“Fuck,” Seungri said, snapping Jiyong out of his daze.

He jerked alert, and then pulled his sword as six men walked toward them, their own swords drawn.

He had not recognized the guards that had attacked them at the base of the tower when the princess returned, but these he knew: Hakyeon, Taekwoon, Jaehwan, Wonsik, Hongbin and Sanghyuk. He’d trained with them, shared meals with them, laughed and drank with them while learning everything he could to protect the life of a noble. They had done the same, for Jaejoong’s uncle.

“What are you doing?” Jiyong demanded as they continued forward.

“Our job,” Hakyeon said and attacked, his sword flashing in the light of a nearby window. His sword clanged against Jiyong’s and then parted again. He dodged a swipe from Jaehwan, and used the movement to attack Hakyeon. His sword sliced through arm, but then he had to twist again to avoid another slice from Jaehwan.

Seungri was fighting Wonsik and Hongbin, there was already blood on his arm.

The door opened suddenly and an arrow came through, from Taeyang. It hit Sanghyuk, and Jaehwan growled and shot forward through the door, leaving Jiyong to concentrate on Hakyeon. But Taeyang was quick and had an arrow in Jaehwan’s shoulder in the next moment, making him collapse against a wall.

Taeyang shouted at Seohyun to get back, as Jaehwan slammed into the doorframe. Taeyang pushed him back and had the door shut again. Jaehwan turned his attention to Seungri.

Jiyong finally got an opening against Hakyeon, slicing open his stomach, and immediately spun to defend against another attack from Taekwoon. But not soon enough. Pain soared through his side and skin and he screamed, dropping to a knee, but keeping his sword up and the next blow had him falling again. An arrow protruded from Taekwoon’s chest and he fell backwards.

Another arrow took out Hongbin.

“Go get the king!” Seungri shouted, still fighting off Jaehwan.

Jiyong was not sure what that meant. His brain was fuzzy with brain. Jaejoong? The king? Right now, he was. Jiyong fought past the pain in his side and lurched down the hall, leaving the sounds of the clashing swords behind him.

<|---------<<<

Jaejoong almost flew through the halls. Halfway to his rooms, he discarded the heavy cloak and ran more easily. Just inside the hall leading to the prince’s suit, he stopped. Seunghyun and Daesung almost slammed into the back of him.

The hallway was covered with blood. Some still dripped from the stone walls. On the floor were bodies. Seungri slumped against the door, his bloodied hand against his shoulder.

Jaejoong turned around, saw that the king’s advisor had followed him and demanded, “Go get the doctors. Now!”

He nodded and hurried away.

Jaejoong walked down the hall. He glanced at the faces of the dead men and cursed, immediately recognizing the personal guards of his uncle. He kneeled in front of Seungri. “What happened?”

Seungri winced. “They just ... attacked.”

“Seohyun? Minzy?”

“Safe, in the bedroom, with Taeyang.”

“Thank the trees. And thank you.”

One of the bodies behind him groaned. Jaejoong turned his head to see Seunghyun shoving his sword into one of the men’s shoulder. The man, Jaehwan ... it had been Jaehwan, screamed.

“What is the meaning of this?” Seunghyun demanded just as Daesung grabbed the arrow in his other shoulder and twisted it.

Jaehwan screamed again.

“Let him talk,” Jaejoong said.

“Fuck all of you,” he muttered and spit blood at them.

“They ... they only said they were doing their job,” Seungri said.

“What job?” Seunghyun demanded.

Jaehwan snarled.

Jaejoong narrowed his eyes. “Kill him,” he whispered. “Dead men can’t tell tales, and we don’t actually need him alive to know who did this.”

Seunghyun smirked and shoved the sword into his heart.

“But ...” Seungri coughed.

“Don’t talk,” Jaejoong said, going back to him. “Save your strength.”

“You’re planning something,” Seunghyun said quietly.

“Something brilliant,” Jaejoong said with another smirk.

A moment later, the king’s advisor returned with the palace doctors and almost an entire legion of soldiers. They clogged the hallway and many cursed when they caught sight of the dead men.

“My uncle needs to be arrested right now,” Jaejoong said. “These are his personal guards who were here to kill the princess and my child. And one of them said ‘but the poison helped’ before he died, but he only laughed when I asked if my uncle was poisoning the king.”

The king’s advisor frowned and then he nodded. “Very well.”

The captain of the soldiers told Jaejoong he would see to it personally, and he bowed and took five others with him.

“I must see to my wife,” Jaejoong said and went into his room.

His wife was on the bed, propped up on pillows, panting, one hand gripping Taeyang’s arm almost too tightly.

“Seohyun!” Jaejoong shouted and was by her side in a moment. “What’s wrong?”

“B-baby,” she said. “B-baby.”

Jaejoong gaped. “The ... it’s too soon.”

“I’ve been taking-taking ... the herbs ... from Si-siwon. And ... too much stress. Commotion.”

“You devious minx.”

Seohyun smiled, and Jaejoong pressed a quick kiss to her lips.

“I love you, my queen.”

She nodded, moaning and whimpering, “I love you, my king.”

A doctor entered the room and then shouted at one of the boys in the hallway to fetch the midwife.

Jaejoong let Seohyun grip his hand and he turned to the king’s advisor. “Please return to court and reschedule the cases for the day.”

The king’s advisor smiled. Something that looked very genuine. “Yes, your majesty.”

<|---------<<<

Junho’s heart raced and his breath ran ragged the longer they walked around the plateau. His father was really stretching the Festival out this year. Junho caught most of his conversations. Most were slightly veiled threats against more taxes and how much the crystals would cost for future buyers. Never once did he proclaim the beauty of a stone without attaching it somehow to money. The greed of the king had spread to the merchants. They were producing lower quality gems just to sell more. Their livelihood had deteriorated. As had the trade agreement with the Kingdom of Trees, boiling eventually into wars that had plagued their two kingdoms since Junho was a child. He refused to be a king like that.

But that was the point. This would finish everything. So Junho could start over. Build the kingdom back to its original glory.

They stopped at another merchant, this man had a series of small blue and green stones for sale, but a thick blue one, with pretty crystallization around the edges, was part of the competition. It was Junho’s favorite so far, bringing back images and memories of when the all the stones in the competition were this beautiful. His father praised it, but only in terms of its worth. He picked it up and lifted it into the air to see how light glimmered through it.

And then something protruded from the King’s neck. Something metal glimmering with light just like the crystal. The sparkles from the stone tumbled, twisted and twirled. The gemstone clattered to the flat rock under their feet. Someone shouted out in surprise. The king sank down to his knees, hands reaching up to his neck, and then falling to his sides. Blood bubbled up around his mouth. And he fell. Hard. The sound of his head hitting stone echoed around them.

Junsu cried out, moving forward first of those around him, but the guards blocked him, both his father’s and their own. Unable to do anything, Junsu collapsed to his knees, arms around Junsu’s thighs. Junho pulled his sword, kept his head up, looking for others that may use this moment to attack him or his brother.

He met the eyes of a pretty man who wore the guards’ uniform but did not look familiar. The man smirked and winked at him, and then turned and went back into the crowd.

The captain shouted orders. Guards started clearing the villagers and merchants. Others rushed toward the cave entrances above the gorge, told to search for anyone or anything suspicious.

And then the captain turned to them. He pointed his sword at Junho. “This is your doing,” he said, voice carrying in the sudden silence. “Drop your weapon.”

Junsu gasped out a negation, still sobbing against Junho’s leg.

Junho held his sword loosely, ready to fight if he had to.

“Drop your weapon. This is treason.”

Junho fought back a smirk and said, “I was by my father this entire time. I did not shoot him from here.”

“You may have not let it fly, but you planned it.”

“Prove it.”

The captain narrowed his eyes and turned away, staring at the man who knelt by his father. Junho did not need to see the man shake his head to know that his father was dead.

Trusting the four guards around him (Jonghyun was still with Taeyeon), Junho dropped to hold his brother.

Junsu clutched at him, and while anyone looking would see two brothers grieving over their father’s death, Junho recognized Junsu’s tears for what they were. Relief. Tears of relief.

Changmin had not missed.

Junho shut his eyes, leaned his head against Junsu’s, and let his own tears fall.

<|---------<<<

Jaejoong had a hard time keeping the smile off his face. He’d spent the last two days with his wife and new pretty baby boy. Jaehyun, they had named him Jaehyun, and he was healthy and perfect. The midwife was a bit worried about the baby’s weight, since he’d been born just a few weeks early, but she assured them that they’d be okay. Both the mother and the child.

The villagers had smiles and congratulations for him. He thanked them all. A party was being planned, as well as a coronation. The doctors had no hope for his father. With the idea of him being poisoned, their was no reason to wait until he actually died. The doctors figured that his body would succumb to its illness before the coronation anyway.

A courier shuffled into the main room, feet quick and silent. Jaejoong was listening to a man talk about the low produce of his farm, but Jaejoong’s eyes were on the courier as he moved in next to the king’s advisor. Jaejoong’s advisor. He felt that he should learn the man’s name now.

The advisor’s eyes went wide, and he met Jaejoong’s gaze and then hurried just as quickly over to him.

The man stopped talking as he leaned over and Jaejoong smiled to the merchant in apology.

“The King of Mountains has been assassinated,” the advisor whispered.

Jaejoong’s eyes widened, and then he actually smirked. “Indeed.”

“You know something.”

Jaejoong chuckled. “Maybe. It is not our business what they do at the stones.”

The king’s advisor smiled. “Indeed.”

“Send a message please, announcing the birth of my son and my soon-to-be promotion.”

“As you wish, your majesty.”

<|---------<<<

“What do you think?” Junho asked, turning his head side to side to show off the silver crown on his head. He’d had his father’s melted down for other things. It’d been too flashy for Junho’s taste.

“Sexy,” Taeyeon said. “Although you’d look much sexier if you took your clothes off.”

Kibum turned his obvious laughter into coughs.

Junho smiled and turned back to his reflection. The crown was a simple silver band. The only thing distinguishing it as the crown of a king were the few stones embedded in it: a diamond, a ruby, a sapphire, an emerald, and yellow topaz, each stone a representation of his kingdom and the areas where each are found, cut, and sold.

It was not too heavy. The responsibility was.

Himself, his brother, and his guards had all been questioned about his father’s death. But with no proof, and no other heir, the matter was quickly discarded. No one had been seen entering or leaving the caverns at the gorge. And there were no leads to who the mysterious archer may have been. Maurdering Max’s name had been tossed around, but no one really wanted to venture into the forests to find him.

Well, no one but one person. He thought of his brother, already on his way to see his archer and he smiled. He’d sent Taemin, Jonghyun and Minho with him.

Jinki entered the room, a smile on his face. “So, you’ll never guess what I just heard.”

“What?” Junho asked.

“The King of Trees has died, poisoned by his own brother, and the soon-to-be queen has given birth to a son. They named him Jaehyun.”

Junho laughed. “Excellent.”

“Let’s celebrate,” Taeyeon said.

“Should we wait outside to let your queen take off your clothes?” Kibum asked with a wink.

Junho laughed. He was about to say no, but then Taeyeon’s arms came around his waist and she said, “I’ve always thought that Kibum was the smart one.”

The two of them chuckled and left the room.

Junho turned around in his wife’s arms and kissed her deeply. “I love you, my queen.”

“I love you, my king.”


	16. The Feather

**The Feather**  
_A whole feather, or one of its sections used on an arrow for guidance._

Changmin lay back in his bed, still not quite recovered from the adrenaline rush of his task and the subsequent maze of caves afterwards. He’d thought for a long time that he’d gotten lost. He’d been too eager to get out, made a wrong turn, somewhere, but he was lucky that Yoohwan had made him memorize more than one route out of those caverns.

Everyone else in the compound still had no idea what had happened. Just as it should be. No one but the seven of them knew exactly who had shot the King of Mountains. They all thought he was just sick and mostly left him alone.

Heechul doted on him, though. For three days, letting Changmin rest and calm himself down before facing the rest of the rabble. Heechul brought him food and a stolen bottle of mountain whiskey.

_”Stolen is such a bad word,” Heechul had said. “I prefer reappropriated.”_

Changmin drank most of it the night before.

And suffered through the headache that morning. Still he only emerged from his room when he had to. One of those times was to check on the Park Brothers. Yoohwan was awake, still a bit drowsy, but on his way to a full recovery. Yoochun was still a bit depressed, and Changmin knew he would be until Yoohwan could smile and laugh and kiss him again.

The sun was setting, bathing the trees in gold and tossing yellow and orange light around the wooden floor and walls of Changmin’s room. A whistle sounded nearby and then there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Changmin said, recognizing Heechul’s whistle.

“Changminnie,” Heechul said with a wide grin as he entered, “there’s someone here to see you.”

Changmin sighed and propped up with his hands on the bed behind him.

Heechul blocked the door for a moment, and then moved to the side. A cloaked figure walked into his room, and then the cowl was lowered, and Changmin’s heart twisted in his chest, and his vision went blurry.

Junsu. His Junsu. His face and skin looked better than they had four days ago, flush with color and warmth. And then he smiled, and Changmin opened his mouth to say something and couldn’t, and then he licked his lips.

“Enjoy yourself, Changminnie,” Heechul said. “I know I will.”

Changmin realized then that a third person was there. He had just a moment to see that it was Taemin before Heechul was pulling the other away from his door. He heard, “Gonna press myself between you and Yunho’s cocks all night long,” and they were alone.

Junsu shut the door and smiled. “Hi.”

Changmin cleared his throat. “Hi.” He was surprised he managed even that. The way the sun shone against his hair and his skin was breathtaking. Just having him here. It was ... impossible.

Junsu pulled something from inside his cloak. “I thought you might want your arrow back.”

Changmin watched the arrow spiral down, and the metal clattered to the floor. The feathers were no longer white, dyed a deep red from blood.

“Nice shot,” Junsu said, removing the cloak and hanging it up on a nearby chair.

“I’m glad I did not miss.”

“Me too. I doubted you for a while. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. I doubted myself too.”

Junsu wore tight clothes, nothing like the flashy things he’d first traveled in the woods in. His pants were a deep green, the tunic a pattern of browns and greens. They showed off his strong arms and legs, and Changmin licked his lips.

“Junho’s official coronation is next week. We’d like you to be there.”

“My face is still spread around on wanted posters throughout the city. Probably not a good idea.”

“True. But we still want you to be there.”

Changmin smiled. “I also heard word that Seohyun has given birth to a baby boy, Jaejoong’s father is practically dead, and his uncle has been arrested for attempted murder of the prince, princess and their children.”

“Good,” Junsu said with a grin. “But not important.”

Changmin chuckled. “Not important?”

“No.”

“What is important?”

“Am I invited closer?”

Changmin gulped, heart speeding up again. He’d never been so nervous. Not even three days ago when he had to take the most important shot of his life.

He held out his hand. “Yes, but if you get closer, I may never let you go.”

Junsu smiled and then laughed as he finally moved within reach. Wrapping his arms around Junsu’s body, he buried his face in Junsu’s stomach and tried not to cry. Relief. Fear. Something. Love, definitely.

Junsu’s breath hitched. “Sorry. I’m still a little sore.”

“You should have waited to come see me.”

“It would have been weeks. I need to be back in a few days to help with the coronation.”

Changmin frowned. “I may tie you up and keep you.”

Junsu leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I really want to be kept.”

Changmin reached up, tangled his hands in Junsu’s hair and deepened the kiss. He stayed, curled over Changmin, their lips together, for long minutes. Silently, they broke apart and Changmin moved back up on the bed, making room for Junsu to climb in with him.

Junsu pressed in close, head against his chest, and Changmin wrapped his arms around him. They lay in silence, just breathing, for a long time. And then Junsu’s arms moved, and he trailed his fingers up Changmin’s chest. The sun was almost gone, the shadows of Junsu’s fingers and arm were long and dark.

Changmin caught his fingers and brought them up to his mouth to kiss. Junsu smiled and then laughed and moved, propping himself up on an elbow, their faces close and aligned. Changmin pressed up, Junsu leaned down, and they kissed again. Junsu’s fingers continued their path and then went lower, to his stomach. He tugged on the tunic and hit skin. Changmin sucked in a surprised breath at the light touch and was quick to do the same, moving his hands from the back of Junsu to under his tunic, sliding up over the bandage on his body to warm skin.

“We should really talk first,” Junsu whispered.

Changmin groaned. “Why?”

Junsu laughed. “Because.”

“Don’t want to. Talk after.”

“After what?”

Changmin swallowed roughly. “Stop talking. I’ll show you.”

Junsu laughed again. “Fine, Mister Rebel.”

Changmin sat up, but did not let Junsu pull away. Their mouths stayed together, only parting for the brief moments it took to remove their tunics. Changmin frowned at the thick bandage around his waist.

“I’m fine,” Junsu whispered and touched their lips again. “The doctor only wants this around my waist for support, that’s all. The wound has mostly healed and I’m regaining my strength.”

“It’s not that,” Changmin said. “I mean, that’s good to hear, but I can’t tease your stomach this way.”

Junsu laughed. “Then I guess you’ll have to save that for the next time.”

Changmin liked the sound of next time. Their lips met again, and Changmin supported Junsu carefully, arms around his body, while they resettled against the mattress, this time with Junsu’s head on the pillows and Changmin leaning over him. He kissed Junsu in all the ways had had done so in his dreams: slow and deep, quick and light, passionate, desperate. His body rocked against Junsu’s thigh. His moans were no longer alone, but accompanied by Junsu’s gasps and whimpers.

He tangled their fingers together, squeezing tight, holding him close, almost too close. Against his body, in his heart, skin to skin. He loved the touch of fingers on his back, hands digging into his muscles, fingernails blunt against his skin.

Changmin did not want to rush anything, but it was hard to be patient. Even harder not to just rip clothes off. Instead, he pushed his impatience to his mouth and into Junsu’s skin. He broke from his lips and moved over his body instead. Down his neck and chest, against his nipples and shoulders, all the way to the top of the bandage. And then below it, pulling at his pants to get to the skin below his belly button.

Junsu squirmed with each kiss, each bite, and he pulled Changmin’s hair with desperation. He gasped Changmin’s name and other obscenities indecent for a prince.

When Changmin finally succumbed to Junsu’s pleadings, he let himself be moved to the side, let himself lay on his back, and let Junsu do the same to him. Lips, fingers, tongue ... and kisses. So many kisses.

As darkness fell, so did their clothes, over the edge of the bed, allowing more skin and pleasure to be explored, letting Changmin worship his prince and twist desire through their bodies. Slick with sweat and desperate, Changmin stopped only long enough to grab the small pot of oil from his dresser.

On the way back to the bed, he slowed, soaking in the sight of Junsu’s skin bathed with moonlight, glimmering with sweat as Junsu pleasured himself for the few moments Changmin was gone. He made a promise to memorize every single inch of his skin in the daylight next time before climbing back onto the bed.

Changmin kissed Junsu while his fingers worked him open. Junsu’s legs tightened around his back, body arching up off the bed. Never silent, Junsu begged for more, begged for a release, begged for Changmin.

Changmin vowed to give Junsu everything he wished for.

With their bodies together, Changmin remembered the arrow, the flight of it as the white feathers had spun. Even with his knees firmly planted, their lips together, their bodies in sync, Changmin felt like that snowflake in a gale, felt like the arrow in the wind, spiraling toward a destination, a specific target. Vulnerable. Like a feather. Beautiful and free, but fragile.

Changmin moved one hand from where it was pressed into the bed next to Junsu’s head. He took his hand, pulling it to his chest. Their entwined fingers pressed in tight over Junsu’s heart. Changmin breath stuttered through words that sounded like Junsu’s name, maybe. Endearments. Whispers of love. He felt wetness on his face that was not sweat, and his throat closed. Everything was perfect, so perfect.

And then it was Junsu’s name, clear and loud, echoing in the dark as Changmin panted and raced for completion.

He heard his own name, counter to Junsu’s, and then a demand for a kiss, and Changmin fell over his lover, pressed their lips together as their bodies shuddered, as their pleasure peaked. The kiss slowed, guiding the tempo of everything else.

“Not bad, Max,” Junsu said with a grin. “Not bad for a thief.”

Changmin grunted. “Not so bad yourself. For a prince.” He pulled his hips away, but kept the rest of himself close, curling up against Junsu’s chest.

“You need new bandages,” Changmin said.

Junsu laughed. “You might need new bedding.”

“Yeah, and if we both need these new things anyway, might as well make them really dirty.”

Junsu pulled his face back for another kiss and hummed his agreement into Changmin’s mouth.

<|---------<<<

Junsu woke up slowly, annoyed at being disturbed. His eyes opened and then shut. A sliver of bright sunlight shined right into his eyes. He moaned and buried his face against Changmin’s shoulder, attempting to pull the blanket up over his head.

Changmin shifted, his arm curling over Junsu’s waist and his warm breath touched his neck. “Awake?” he murmured.

Junsu grunted. “Sort of.”

With a small laugh, Changmin pulled away enough to press a kiss to his lips. “I love you.”

Junsu smiled. He fought it, really he did, but his entire soul sored and his heart clenched, throat going tight. “I love you,” he gasped and blinked tears.

The next kiss was deeper, leading to something more than a moment before Changmin pulled away with a heavy breath. “We should get up.”

“Soon,” Junsu said, tilting his head back as Changmin moved his mouth to Junsu’s neck. “I do have an ulterior motive,” he said, voice breathy. He tightened his grip on Changmin’s shoulders.

“Besides getting me into bed?”

“Well, I guess that was the ulterior motive. Technically, I’m here to beg for safe passage for travelers. We want to reinstate the trade routes between us, but we can’t do that if Marauding Max is always marauding.”

Changmin grunted, lapping at Junsu’s nipple. “Yeah, whatever, business talk later.”

Junsu chuckled and tangled his hand in Changmin’s hair. “Fine later. Now, a bath. Isn’t there a river nearby where we won’t be disturbed.”

Changmin pressed his chin into Junsu’s stomach, just above the bandage. He pouted. “But then we’d have to get up. And get dressed.”

“I have two more entire days to spend with you,” Junsu said, trailing his finger down Changmin’s jaw and then to his lips where it was sucked on lightly. “I need some coffee and breakfast. Or lunch. Whatever time it is. And then we’ll disappear again, okay?”

Changmin sighed, but he nodded. “Yeah. You’re right. But I’m not obeying you just because you’re a prince.”

Junsu laughed. “I know that.”

“It’s because I love you.”

Junsu smiled and pulled Changmin up for another deep kiss, this one lasting much later than either of them expected and only ending when Heechul barged in to demand to know how their night went.

“Perfect,” Changmin said, smiling down at Junsu. “Absolutely perfect.”

“And orgasmic,” Junsu added. “Absolutely orgasmic.”

“With only two of you?” Heechul said with a waggle of eyebrows. “Impossible.”

“Dare I ask?” Junsu said, finally rolling away from Changmin and to the edge of the bed. His body was sore. A long soak in the river sounded wonderful.

“Well, Taeminnie isn’t the only one that escorted you here,” Heechul said.

Junsu groaned. “Minho and Jonghyun, too?”

“Of course. You brought me so many pretty toys to play with.”

Changmin laughed. “Maybe now you’ll stop groping me every chance you get.”

“Not likely,” Yunho said, coming into the room. “Heechul, come on. Leave them alone.”

“We’re going to go soak in the river,” Changmin said. “Tomorrow we need to have a meeting.”

“About what?” Yunho asked.

“Safe passage for travelers through the forest.”

Yunho frowned.

Changmin nodded. He stood up and moved to where he’d thrown his breeches. Junsu’s were nearby and he tossed them over him. Junsu did not get up naked, but pulled the pants on under the covers. He had no desire to flash his body to the other two.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Changmin said to Yunho, pointing at him with the hilt of a knife before putting it on his belt, “but you also remember when there was a safe route between the kingdoms through these trees. When we were younger.”

“Both Junho and Jaejoong want to reopen a trade route,” Junsu said. “We can’t do that without your cooperation.”

Yunho did nothing, his body a firm pillar of disagreement.

Changmin sigh and nodded. “I am not just blindly agreeing to it, no matter how beautiful Junsu looks with my cock buried inside him. I stand by what I said before. My loyalty is to us, to these people, to you. It always has been.”

Junsu huffed, but Changmin ignored him. They could do nothing if Max’s band of thieves refused to cooperate.

“We’ll talk tomorrow, okay,” Changmin said. “You and Yoochun come up with a list of demands.”

“There won’t be any. Yoochun and Yoohwan are going to disappear. And you said we wouldn’t be displaced here.”

“I know,” Changmin said and ran his hands roughly through his hair. “We won’t. We ... just ...”

Junsu touched his shoulder, frowning just a little bit. “It’s okay, Min,” he whispered. Louder, he said to Yunho, “Junho said to mention it and see what your reaction is. We don’t want to piss you off or piss off your followers. We’re willing to include you in any trades, but we also understand that it is really soon. I mean, Junho and Jaejoong haven’t even met yet to sign a treaty, so don’t worry about it right now, okay?”

Yunho narrowed his eyes and said, “You’re so lucky you’re even alive, pretty boy.”

He ignored Changmin’s harsh reprimand and left the cabin. Heechul winked and said, “He’s right, you know?”

“Yeah, I know,” Changmin whispered.

After Heechul left, Junsu turned to Changmin, an eyebrow raised in question.

Changmin shrugged. “I’ve stopped my men from killing you since we first started meeting in the woods. This last time, with your guards, I just could not rationalize not killing them anymore. They were starting to ask questions, and I told them to only kill two of them. I did not want to.”

“I guess it’s a good thing,” Junsu said. “I barely survived three of them attacking me. Any more of them and I would be dead.”

“I’m still so sorry.”

Junsu moved up against him and smiled. “I know. But it’s over now. And now we can start anew. I’ve loved you from afar for too many years, it feels like. I want to stay and get to know you, talk to you, walk around the woods with you. Hunt and fish with you. Just be together. I love you. I know I do, but I want to really really love you.”

Changmin smiled and kissed him. “Same. No matter what happens.”

“Promise me.”

“Promise you what?”

“Promise me that you’ll be yourself, you’ll act like you, not Max, not a thief or a mercenary. Just Changmin. Just you, the boy I remember from the castle, okay?”

“You too,” Changmin said with a nod. “You’ll be yourself. Not a prince, not the heir, not the king’s messenger. Just Junsu.”

“I promise.”

“Me too. A promise. To start anew.”

Junsu laughed, a happy noise that echoed around them. He pulled Changmin down and wrapped his arms around his body for a long, heavy kiss, a kiss that had hands involved, clothes falling back to the wooden floor, and bodies pushing down onto the bed.

<|---------<<<

_A/N: This doesn't feel exactly finished, but I'm not sure how to write all the rest except like this in summary form, so here you go. A Mini-Epilogue._

_A few years later, everything is okay and good. There is a treaty between the two kingdoms, the villagers are no longer oppressed, and as promised, Changmin has not abandoned the people in his hideout. Agreements were reached and Marauding Max's Men are given money to protect travelers to keep them from stealing it. Also, as promised, the Park Brothers disappeared together. And Yunho would be very upset about everything but Heechul has his ways to make him agreeable. And finally, Junho quite forcefully told his brother that Changmin needed him more than Junho did, so he kicked him out, and now Junsu lives with Changmin in the trees. The End!_


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